Stefan Babinsky on the podium: Belated satisfaction for someone who was underestimated

And he often follows this Stefan Babinsky with a shake of his head because he sees the world through that pink ski goggles and radiated a form of satisfaction even after weak performances.

Not everyone could benefit from this approach.

So had Vincent Kriechmayrwith his penchant for self-criticism pretty much the exact opposite of Stefan Babinsky, acknowledged his teammate’s 14th place in the Val Gardena downhill this year with the words: “Don’t cheer, you…!”

While many viewed the 29-year-old Styrian extremely critically, ÖSV Alpine boss Christian Mitter decided immediately after the Austrian downhill team’s debacle in Val Gardena. “Stefan Babinsky is still on the podium this winter.”

The author of this text bet against it at the time – and is now allowed to invite the ÖSV boss to dinner as just punishment.

Small steps

Despite all the journalistic prophecies of doom, Christian Mitter turned out to be right with his prediction. In the Wengen Super-G Stefan Babinsky not only gave the lie to all skeptics with his second place, the 29-year-old also showed one Face that we had never seen before.

Babinsky wasn’t completely satisfied after the best race of his career. “The target S was not according to plan,” said the Styrian angrily in the ORF interview.

Using the example of Stefan Babinsky, the almost 30 years old to finally get the first podium place, it shows once again how different ski careers can take.

His teammate Lukas Feurstein was 23 when he celebrated his first World Cup victory last winter Italian Giovanni Franzoni was able to celebrate his first success on Friday in Wengen with 24 and is therefore this winter’s high-flyer.

Great strength

Stefan Babinsky chose the path of small stepswhich has gradually brought him closer to the top of the world in recent seasons. “I tried to stay true to my path and always believed in myself,” he says native German (Dad was a pilot in Bremen).

Auch dank Babinsky Austria currently has the strongest team in the Super-G. The Olympic quartet is made up of the Styrian, the two season winners Kriechmayr and Marco Schwarz and Raphael Haaser (5th in Wengen).

On departure the tickets are more competitive, before the Classic in Wengen (Saturday, 12.30) The Austrians only achieved 5th place this year.