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Slalom crack Manuel Feller storms out of a ten-day quarantine straight onto the podium of the Schladming night spectacle. The local hero would like to stop the exercise at half-time.
Two and a half weeks ago, Manuel Feller finished second in the Adelboden slalom and is right in the middle of the ski festival in the Bernese Oberland. “The Swiss go a little bit different. They try to infect everything on a weekend, »says Feller, a little surprised, when asked about the around 12,000 fans on site, some of whom were celebrating exuberantly. Does the 29-year-old already have a bad premonition?
After another top result in Wengen (5th), Feller promptly tested positive for the corona virus. Last Friday it became known that the local hero was doomed to watch the classic in Kitzbühel. The race in front of the home crowd on Tuesday in Schladming is also in the balance for a long time, Feller only gets the green light to participate on the day of the race itself, which he finally starts without great expectations.
A botched run as a logical consequence
“My goal was the top 15 when I drove here. I just got out of quarantine early in the morning. The preparation was certainly not ideal. I skied three laps on the Reiteralm at noon. That’s it, »Feller makes clear in the ORF interview. Even with the complete isolation he has his troubles. “Being alone in 70 square meters for ten days without seeing anyone was not easy.”
So Feller clearly missed his target in the first run, as 28th he only managed to make it into the second run by a hair’s breadth. The energy balance is already quite scratched. “It’s brutal. I’m going down there ragged blue, I haven’t trained any speed at all lately and the hump is still pinching,” Feller describes his doubts. “After the first round, I thought to myself: That doesn’t exist, drive me out. I don’t want to go up there anymore.”
A little later, the Austrian shows how transformed. With full risk he unpacks all his skills, conjures up a dream ride in the Schladming snow and, thanks to the best running time, makes a huge leap forward. “I had my back against the wall. It didn’t matter whether I scored two or three points or none,” Feller explains his willingness to take risks, which is rewarded with third place in the end.
Only the German Linus Strasser and the amazing 21-year-old Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath stand before the sun in the end for Feller. “It’s insane that it turned out like this. That’s one of my greatest achievements in my life,” Feller can hardly believe it after the grandiose race to catch up in the finish area.
At the same time, he also prevents a home debacle of historic proportions for the Austrians. In addition to Feller, Marco Schwarz is the only other Austrian in the second race, but as 17th he does not play a role in the decision. And so Manuel Feller also thanks ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober: «Feller has shown what he can do. Thank God. It could have been a zero today.”