Kitzbuehel: Tommy Moe forecasts more Hahnenkamm thunder from D Money

By Published On: January 18th, 2006Comments Off on Kitzbuehel: Tommy Moe forecasts more Hahnenkamm thunder from D Money

Kitzbuehel: Tommy Moe forecasts more Hahnenkamm thunder from D MoneyKITZBUEHEL, Austria – Saturday’s race at Kitzbuehel is probably the last chance Daron Rahlves will have to win the Hahnenkamm, his favorite race, from the top. He has said he will most likely quit the sport after this season.

‘I think Daron’s going to win it’ said Tommy Moe, reached on his cell phone on the Jackson Hole tram. ‘He’s hot. He’s off the radar. He’s going to take the ‘Buehel, the Olympic downhill, the overall downhill title, and call it a career.’

In 2003, Rahlves became the first American to win the downhill at Kitzbuehel since Buddy Werner in 1959. But because of bad weather, he won from the lower Alte Schneise start. In 2004, Stephan Eberharter beat him and in 2005 the race was canceled.

Rahlves has alreday joined a small group of Americans who have won here. In 1962, Chuck Ferries won the Kitzbuehel slalom, and in 1973, Bob Cochran won the combined. Each of these winners have gondola cars bearing their name at Kitzbuehel, an honor reserved for all the victors.

Three times Americans have won the combined at Kitzbuehel. Phil Mahre did it 1982 and 1983, and Bode Miller did it in 2004.

Since the Kitzbuehel race was incorporated (mostly) into the World Cup in 1967, Americans have appeared on the downhill podium six times. Cochran was third in 1973, AJ Kitt was second in 1992 and Rahlves was third twice (2001 and 2004), second in the second of two in 2004. Rahlves won in 2003.

Here is a list showing the top American finish in the Kitzbuehel downhill in each of the last 20 years. The low point was 1989, and the high point was 2003.

1986
5. Doug Lewis

1986 (two races)
8. Bill Johnson

1987
21. Doug Lewis

1988
Canceled

1989 (two races)
39. Bill Hudson
42. Jeff Olson

1990
13. Bill Hudson

1991
15. AJ Kitt

1992 (two races)
15. AJ Kitt
2. AJ Kitt

1993
Canceled

1994
8. Tommy Moe

1995
6. Tommy Moe

1996
11. Kyle Rasmussen

1997
25. Tommy Moe

1998 (two races)
11. Tommy Moe
23. Kyle Rasmussen

1999 (two races)
24. Daron Rahlves
21. Daron Rahlves

2000
20. Christopher Puckett

2001
3. Daron Rahlves

2002
29. Jakub Fiala

2003
1. Daron Rahlves

2004 (two races)
3. Daron Rahlves
2. Daron Rahlves

2005
Canceled

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About the Author: Pete Rugh