Reichelt wins Hinterstoder World Cup super G, Miller third

Austrian Hannes Reichelt won a World Cup super G in Hinterstoder, Austria today (Feb. 5), taking the prize with a time of one minute, 43.91 seconds. Teammate Benjamin Raich was 0.34 seconds behind in second while American Bode Miller finished 0.93 seconds off the pace in third.

“No one was expecting me,” said Reichelt. “My run was on the bottom end of perfect. Not the top.”

The win marked Reichelt’s fifth career World Cup victory. His last win came in 2008 at Bormio. It was Miller’s second time on the Hinterstoder podium. He won the last super G here in 2006.

Swiss Carlo Janka missed the podium in fourth place, 1.15 seconds adrift. Overall leader, Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic took fifth 1.19 seconds back on a course racers and coaches called very technical and GS-like .

Led by Miller, who secured his first World Cup super G podium since 2008, the U.S. had a solid day putting three men into scoring position as young Tommy Ford, 21, notched a new World Cup career high in 11th place from all the way back in the 65 bib. Ted Ligety got out the speed boards to land 21st. Travis Ganong was 4.16 seconds back to finish 34th.

“Bode came out and hustles top to bottom, and just wanted to go, go go,” said U.S men’s head coach Sasha Rearick, who thought Miller was one mistake from today’s win. “He made a lot of mistakes but it was cool to see him put down those runs where you know he’s got some speed.”

Miller returned to World Cup action today after taking last weekend’s stop in Chamonix off.

“I think the part that mattered most was where Reichelt beat everybody so badly coming onto the flats. It shouldn’t have been so hard. I didn’t do anything special and just skied normal, but coming onto tyhe flats I just fell inside, lost my outside ski and touched my hand and hip to the ground,” said Miller. “It’s so flat after that you lose 5-6 kilometers-per-hour and it costs you a second over the next 20 seconds.”

Jan Hudec led the Canadian effort today, just making the points in 30th. Benjamin Thomsen finished 48th while teammates Dustin Cook and Erik Guay both failed to finish.

“Two young guys at the back of the pack really sparked the race,” said Rearick. “A young French guy Alexis Pinturault and Tommy Ford showed that they are some of the best young, talented technical skiers in the world.” 

World Cup racing continues in Hinterstoder tomorrow with a giant slalom before competition shifts to Garmisch, Germany for the 2011 FIS World Championships beginning Tuesday.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Men’s super G Hinterstoder, Austria, Feb. 5, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Reichelt, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Raich, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Miller, Head/Head/Head
4 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Pinturault, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
7 Viletta, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
8 Heel, Head/Head/Head
9 Innerhofer, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Frey, unknown/unknown/unknown

Men’s World Cup super G, Hinterstoder, Austria, Feb. 5, 2011. … It is the 28th of 39 races on the men’s World Cup schedule, the 26th to be held. … It is the sixth of seven scheduled super G’s. … It is the first of two scheduled at Hinterstoder and the 12th race held at the site, the first since 2006.

It is the fifth World Cup victory for Hannes Reichelt, fourth in SG. … It is his first win since winning at Bormio March 13, 2008. … his previous best this season had been ninth in SG at Kitzbuehel Jan. 22.

It is the 87th career World Cup podium for Benjamin Raich. … but just his sixth in SG. … He has never won a World Cup SG. …It is his second podium of the season, the previous in slalom at Val d’Isere Dec. 12.

It is the 71st World Cup podium for Bode Miller. … his ninth in SG, and remarkably his first third place finish in a World Cup SG. … He won in SG at Hinterstoder Dec. 20, 2006. … It is his third podium of the season, the others coming in the city event parallel in Munich Jan. 2 and in DH at Kitzbuehel Jan. 22.

It is the third career World Cup scoring result for Tommy Ford and a career best, his previous two results a 21st and 24th both coming in GS last season. … It is the sixth best of 11 World Cup SG results for Ted Ligety. … his 15th score of the season. … It is the 24th career World Cup scoring result for Jan Hudec. … his fourth of the season and first of the season in SG.

A significant result for Alexis Pinturault of France, finishing sixth from the 62nd start. … The current Europa Cup overall leader won the gold medal in the World Junior Championship GS Jan. 30.

Ivica Kostelic (5th in race) extends his lead of the World Cup overall standings and leads 1223-703 over Silvan Zurbriggen (did not race). … Didier Cuche (19th in race) is third overall with 685pts. … Ted Ligety is the top American on the overall chart in 10th with 444pts, Bode Miller is 11th with 442pts. … Top Canadian overall is Erik Guay (DNF) in 33rd with 157pts. … Georg Streitberger (did not race) leads the SG standings 227-191 over Cuche and Kostelic, tied in second. … Miller, in 12th with 123pts, leads the U.S. … Guay in 17th with 101pts leads the Canadians. … Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup 4146-2873 over Switzerland. … Italy isa third with 2235pts. … The U.S. ranks eighth with 1094pts. … Canada ninth with 888pts.

Images by Gepa