PHOTO: Bildbyrån
With his successes, Ingemar Stenmark has provided one or two unforgettable memories over the years.
One of the most iconic took place in classical Madonna di Campiglio 1974.
“Stenis” then took home the victory after a very unexpected move that shocked everyone and Swedish sports history was created.
One of the most classic expressions that we have in Sweden is that the whole country stood still when Ingemar Stenmark set out on the ski slope. And more often than not, he did not disappoint, because with his two Olympic golds, three WC golds and his 86 (!) World Cup victories, there is no doubt that he is one of the absolute greatest we have in Swedish sports.
Odd trick
Many of Stenmark’s have gone down in history, but perhaps his slalom run in Madonna di Campiglio in 1974 is the most classic of all. It didn’t go as planned during the first run, where “Stenis” was no better than 22nd after he nearly fell over after a minor mistake early on the hill.
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But before the second run, Stenmark would do something that was, to say the least, startling and unusual, because if there was something he didn’t intend to do, it was to give up. Before he set off for run number two, he switched places on his skis, putting his right ski on his left foot and vice versa.
READ MORE: When Ingemar Stenmark refused to give up – and shocked an entire school with the secret trick: “Half killed himself”
Snuffed out the home riders
And the unexpected stroke of genius would prove to work. Stenmark swished down the hill like never before with his unexpected full trick, and went to the finish line as the new leader. Then followed a long wait to see if the competitors succeeded in beating the Swedish giant. But the second race turned out to be too powerful for all of the other top riders. Stenmark won ahead of the two Italians Paolo De Chiesa and Fausto Radiciwho thus had to see themselves defeated at home after Stenmark’s unexpected tactics.