Sölden Friday: Odermatt prepped, Meillard excited, Brignone & Bassino de-stressing and Sarrazin leading energized French

Anticipation has hit peak levels in Sölden, Austria and the Alpine skiers are feeling it. Some more than others. While leading Italian pair Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino attempt to take the pressure off themselves, Marco Odermatt (SUI) is happy to ratchet it up a notch. Meanwhile the French men’s technical team are quietly confident of springing some shocks, especially with some special fire power back in their locker.

Odermatt happy to be fastest Swiss

As if his rivals needed anything more to worry about, Marco Odermatt revealed on Friday that his preparation for the new season started “a little bit earlier than ever before”.

While many might not have changed much after winning the overall and three discipline titles, the perfectionist in Odermatt has been seeking more. With new physical trainer, Alejo Hervas onboard the Swiss man has already been hard at work for months.

“I wanted to start early because, yeah, you never know how everything works together, you want to get to know each other,” Odermatt said on Friday. “Everything worked. We had a tough training, how it has to be. We had more or less the same goals (as last pre-season), but we took different ways, and this is exactly what I needed.

“I think I feel ready,” Odermatt added with a smile. “But you never know how good you are, we never trained with other nations, we really had just the Swiss guys. But this is the good thing about having a strong team, we really push each other in training. And I think when you're the fastest Swiss guy, you're also quite fast internationally.”

Relaxed Meillard ready to build on 2023/24

In somewhat of a contrast, the man who finished second to Odermatt in both the overall and the giant slalom standings has changed very little in the off-season. But for Loic Meillard that is an advantage.

“I don't have many new things, it's mostly what I skied last year,” Meillard said. “So, it's more we continue on the path we chose and try to improve that. I feel good, a bit more ready to accept what’s going to happen.”

Continuing to understand how to deal with the pressure of leading after the first run of the slalom or GS is something Meillard is particularly focused on.

“I would say the first time that it happened, it was definitely challenging, but I think more it happens, the more you're getting a bit used to it, and you know what you do,” he explained.  “You figure out a way to handle the stress between the races. Then most of the time it works well. It can always go sideways, but that's part of the game.”

Brignone and Bassino feeling the heat

The start of the season is a time for celebration for fans worldwide but Italian superstar Federica Brignone served notice that it is not all fun and games for the racers themselves.

“For sure I'm trying to be less stressed, because always Sölden is a lot of stress,” Brignone, a six-time World Cup winner last season, said. “Everybody's waiting. Everybody wants to see how you are and how everybody is, and if you're ready, or who is going to be the best one this year, and who is in shape and who's not.

“So it's adrenaline and also a bit of stress. For me, it's hard to go to sleep the night before.”

Although, the 34-year-old is looking forward to parts of the weekend.

“I have a lot of friends coming, and it's also a big party after, and so I'm really happy, and I'm trying to be so much more relaxed and easy,” she said.

Marta Bassino is very much hoping she can find a similarly calm and confident manner. GS Globe champion in 2020/21 and super-G world champion just 18 months ago, the Italian is looking to bounce back from what was a relatively disappointing last campaign.

“I would like to find, again some solid skiing that permits me to find great feeling during the season,” Bassino said.” Yeah, I think that's one of the keys because when I’m solid and when I'm used to skiing well in every situation then it's easy.”

Sarrazin headlining strong French outfit

The French men’s technical team declared they are feeling pretty good about life on the eve of the season starting. Not only is stalwart performer Mathieu Faivre back after injury to take his place in a squad boasting young talent and plenty of experience, but also the electric Cyprien Sarrazin is preparing to strap on his technical skis once more.

“We all know that he can be really fast in GS as well. It's not only in the speed events,” Faivre said of his teammate who grabbed a super-G and three downhill World Cup wins last season, four years after recording his first ever podium finish, in the giant slalom.

“Sometimes he's really hard to beat, especially on the flat part. It's good to have him in the team.”

For the man himself, it feels great to be coming back to his one-time specialist discipline with little or no pressure.

“I want to enjoy it and I want to see what I can do in GS because it’s been a while,” Sarrazin said. “This new feeling I found last year in speed, I want to do it in GS. This is the main goal.”