. world ski news : Mayer claims Kitzbühel Downhill - 25 January 2020 - 15:18
ALPINE SKI. It's an Austrian party in Kitzbuehel, as Matthias Mayer wins the Downhill of the 80th Hahnenkamm race, in front of teammate Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) and Beat Feuz (SUI), both in joint second (+0.22s).
Emotions seemed to never end today on the Streif. When Beat Feuz and Vincent Kriechmayr looked like they were sitting comfortably in the leader corner and ready to take their first victory in Kitzbühel, there comes Matthias Mayer and ruins their party. The Austrian skied outstandingly from top to bottom and his fast final section enabled him to take a clear lead.
It's the second victory for Matthias Mayer in Kitzbühel, but the first one in Downhill. The Austrian speed machine had won the Hahnenkamm Super G in 2017 and with his victory today, he scored the "double". Mayer joins Kjetil Jansrud (NOR) and Dominik Paris (ITA) among the only three active skiers to have won both speed disciplines in Kitzbühel.
For Beat Feuz it's the fourth second place in the Kitzbühel Downhill. The Swiss went really close to the win today but still has to achieve his first victory in Kitzbühel.
Kriechmayr improves his best result on the Streif (4th in 2018) and celebrates the first podium of his career in Kitzbühel.
After the race, Peter Fill (ITA) called a press conference to announce that he will retire from competitive skiing after the event in Garmisch.
"It's never easy to make such a decision, but I recently saw that I cannot be as fast as I would like to anymore and I realised it's the right moment to stop. I have always been a fighter and tried to achieve my best, but my body does not support my mind anymore", said the Italian veteran that started 354 World Cup races since his debut in 2002.
FIS Alpine
25 Jan 2020