Hannes Reichelt pays homage to ÖSV star Matthias Mayer after his resignation: “That makes him a legend”

Matthias Mayer announced last Thursday in Bormio his immediate retirement. The ÖSV star drew a line after 45 World Cup podium places, including eleven victories, and three Olympic gold medals. A decision that was not to be expected, mainly because of its suddenness.

“Of course it was a surprise for Matthias,” said Hannes Reichelt in an exclusive interview Eurosport.de. “But every athlete has to figure that out for themselves,” adds the 2015 Super-G World Champion.

After all, Mayer had a strong start to the new World Cup season. The native of Carinthia fought his way to third place both in Lake Louise (Super-G) and in Val Gardena (downhill). According to Reichelt, these results are in no way in contrast to the three-time Olympic champion’s declaration of resignation.

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“When you’re in as good a shape as he is and suddenly stop, the outsider says: ‘Why did he stop?'” says Reichelt. “But if someone puts off this decision and overdoes it, they say: ‘Why didn’t he say goodbye earlier?'”

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In Austria, there was much speculation about the suddenness of Mayer’s resignation. “Somewhat mysterious, I think to myself”, wrote, for example, Stephan Eberharter in his column for the “Krone”. “I feel like there’s something the ‘Mothl’ isn’t telling us, there’s more to it than that.”

However, Reichelt does not want to make any assumptions and assumes that Mayer made a spontaneous decision.

“It’s all just speculation,” says the 13-time World Cup winner. “The only one who can answer these questions is Matthias himself. Maybe he doesn’t even know it himself and it was just a gut feeling.”

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Reichelt pays homage to Mayer: “That makes him a legend”

With Mayer’s resignation, the Austrian Ski Association loses one of its shining stars of the past decade.

In February 2009, the speed specialist celebrated his debut in the World Cup at the tender age of 18. “I have a lot in common with Matthias. After he came to the World Cup, we soon became roommates – and also good friends,” Reichelt looks back.

Just five years later, Mayer wrote Olympic history. Without a single World Cup win, he stunned his competition and surprisingly raced to gold in Sochi. A time that Reichelt also likes to remember.

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Fotocredit: Getty Images

“When I won the downhill in Kitzbühel, he became Olympic champion for the first time. We were able to celebrate huge successes at the same time,” the 42-year-old thinks back to the joint high.

In Pyeongchang and Beijing Mayer repeated this Olympic feat in Super-G – Moments for eternity. “First someone has to copy him. Three gold medals at three different winter games,” Reichelt enthuses about his former ÖSV colleague. “It’s an art that makes him a legend.”

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Mayer’s farewell makes the ÖSV poorer by a winner

While Mayer can look forward to his early ski pension, things are getting tighter and tighter for the ÖSV at the top of the World Cup. “The ÖSV lost a winning runner,” explains Reichelt. “After Mayer’s retirement, there are only two with Vincent Kriechmayr and Daniel Hemetsberger who regularly finish on the podium.”

The young wild ones of the Austrian squad are “on the way to top positions, but overall it looks thin”, says Reichelt.

“I’ve been thinking about starting again,” joked the ex-world champion, but immediately backtracked. “In Bormio I was so happy not to have to be at the start anymore. All the tension, all the pressure – I don’t miss it at all.”

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