Marcel Hirscher wants to innovate

Marcel Hirscher decides after a long struggle to continue his career. The superstar of the alpine scene wants to innovate – as an athlete and private citizen.

Resignation! End of career! Finish! As Marcel Hirscher called him, his thoughts tormented him. He has been fighting for weeks, if not months. Is it time to leave the one that already exists? Has the time come without being able to face the daily challenges of training and competition? The Salzburg has weighed between the achievement of victories and the side effects and consequences that have caused doubts and sometimes even fears.

The high price

The price he paid for his success became too high for Hirscher, the disadvantages of his popularity took up too much space. Hirscher defends himself from being common property. Public consumption exceeds for him the normal measure. Hirscher insists on the right to lead a relatively normal life away from the slopes.

The law that was no longer granted influenced his thoughts – and accelerated his knowledge of the eventual resignation. The desire for a calmer and more orderly daily life was great, the danger of the Austrian nation losing its most successful athlete, as a result. "I was about to stop," says Hirscher.

The right moment

The time to draw a line would have been auspicious after this fabulous winter, the most successful of all times. The opportunity was there to say goodbye to the absolute pinnacle. The double Olympic champion became Hirscher, he won for the seventh time in a row the World Cup, as well as the small balls for the wins in the slalom and giant slalom rankings, and for the seventh time in a row. The ankle fracture experienced in August had increased almost without any preparation and, consequently, low expectations.

"It could not be better." "I can only lose." "Maybe I miss the right time for my departure." Thoughts were turning. Hirscher, for whom the present accounts mainly and who does not think much about planning for a longer period, has had to deal with the future in an intensive way.

The unusual l 'invited in the summer. It was in July, until Hirscher realized that he would continue to cross-country ski. The ambitions of the high-level athlete had shifted the concerns of the private person – or at least reduced to a tolerable level.

The fire is still too intense at Hirscher, the ambition and thirst for success are still too big to say goodbye. He feels that the desire for victory and the desire for optimization are not broken. The challenges to perfection are not lacking, despite a palpable record.

Uneven winter

And yet it will not be the same for Hirscher next winter. Changes in the private sphere will affect his work. The marriage with her longtime partner, Laura Moisl, and the birth of the first child, two and a half weeks ago, are delaying priorities. The ski is no longer the center of attention. "Until now, everything in my life has been devoted to sports, the private has been too short and this is about to change."

Hirscher's new attitude could have an impact on his racing schedule. In any case, he announced that he was giving up on one or the other departure, this should require the situation (in the family). "Maybe I need me elsewhere, that there are more important things than a ski race." There are no concrete plans. Hirscher will decide spontaneously.

However, Hirscher does not want to understand the compromise proposed as a solution without conviction. He leaves no doubt about his professionalism. Victory is always his goal. "I still do not want to finish second." The ambitious ski racer is talking again. Marcel Hirscher, who strives to preserve privacy, is far from being acquired. The thoughts of resignation too.