Austria, a powerhouse in alpine skiing, enters the men's downhill at the Milano Cortina Olympics as unexpected underdogs, according to their racing director. With low expectations amid strong competition from Switzerland and Italy, the team hopes to leverage the pressure-free status for a surprise performance. The event kicks off on Bormio's challenging Stelvio track.
In the high-stakes world of alpine ski racing, Austria has long been a dominant force, boasting a record seven Olympic golds in the men's downhill discipline. Legends like Toni Sailer, Franz Klammer, Leonhard Stock, Fritz Strobl, and Matthias Mayer have etched the nation's name in the sport's history. Yet, as the Milano Cortina Olympics approach, the Austrian team's prospects in this blue-riband event appear subdued.
The men's downhill opens the Olympic alpine skiing program on Saturday along Bormio's notorious Stelvio track in Italy. Facing a formidable Swiss squad led by Marco Odermatt and an Italian contingent headed by Stelvio specialist Dominik Paris, Austria's racing director Marko Pfeifer acknowledges the uphill battle. Speaking from the team hotel on Tuesday, Pfeifer remarked, "Downhill would be actually at the moment really a little bit surprising if we take a medal." He highlighted the team's single World Cup podium this season in Wengen, courtesy of Vincent Kriechmayr, who sits sixth in the downhill standings. "We've had just one podium... so I think we are a little bit the underdogs, but that can be also an advantage," Pfeifer added, emphasizing the unique dynamics of major events.
Despite the downhill challenges, Austria shows promise in the super-G, where Kriechmayr, Stefan Babinsky, and Raphael Haaser rank second, third, and fourth, respectively, behind Odermatt. Babinsky, 29, enters his first Olympics buoyed by recent podiums in Wengen and Kitzbuehel. He described the opportunity as "a childhood fantasy," underscoring the privilege of representing Austria, which has amassed 121 Olympic skiing medals—nearly double Switzerland's total.
Pfeifer views the Austria-Switzerland rivalry as amicable, noting close relationships off the slopes despite media-fueled intensity. With 121 medals underscoring their legacy, the Austrians aim to channel underdog energy into a potential upset on the Stelvio.
