Superior Winter Sports athletes will be discussed in the Sports Studio on Sunday from 11:20 a.m.
by Marco Odermatti foots, Mikaela Shiffrin speed, Jarl-Magnus Riiberin oxygen uptake, Johannes Thingnes Bön physics and Johannes Hösflot Kläbon tactical skill. Would that be a superior prototype of a skiing athlete?
There have always been superior athletes in skiing, and you can find them at the skiing world cups this year as well. For example, in alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin has been almost unstoppable for many years, and if the American had not been injured in the downhill race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, she could have achieved the victory of 100 World Cup competitions already this season.
A new dominator has also emerged on the men’s side of alpine skiing: Marco Odermatt. The Swiss is not necessarily a colorful person like the one representing Brazil today Lucas Braathenbut his power on the racetracks can From Kalle Palander no more exaggerations.
In combined Jarl-Magnus Riiber’s worst threat seems to be only himself, in skiing Johannes Hösflot Kläbo has shown that he is, so to speak, the complete package. In biathlon, Johannes Thingnes Bö has not been able to match last winter’s performance this season, but especially at the end of the season, the Norwegian has been hitting again.
What unites these superior athletes in their field? At least they have an unimaginably hard attitude to training and competing, a hunger for victory, a constant will to improve and putting themselves to the test every moment.
Complete packages
Petter Kukkonen according to Jarl-Magnus Riiber’s coach has told that Riiber can’t really be coached because he is so different.
– His training cannot be copied to others. He is ready to make decisions that few do. In addition, his nature is such that he always strives to be the best version of himself, Kukkonen said.
– Jarl-Magnus doesn’t just do exercises on top of exercises. He is so hungry for success that he always wants to find things to develop. It’s almost overwhelming how much thought he puts into being able to develop.
Mikaela Shiffrin, who dominated women’s alpine skiing, has already won everything possible, from Olympic gold to Cup crystal balls. A few days ago, he also passed the alpine size By Ingemar Stenmark in their World Cup victories. Still, Shiffrin’s hunger for victory has not waned.
– The whole time I’ve been thinking that he won’t win anymore, he must be full by now. He always just wants to win. It has the right attitude, Palander was amazed.
Mental strength can also be found in Johannes Hösflot Kläbo and Johannes Thingnes Bö, for example Kaisa Mäkäräinen you wouldn’t choose Bö’s shooting speed and accuracy over a superior athlete.
– However, he has a good competitive spirit. Dramatic failures are rarely seen from Johannes, Mäkäräinen said.
Bö rose in this winter’s World Championships Be Einar Björndalen in addition to his 20 world championships after winning three golds in Nove Mesto and having medals at all the trips. Last season, the Norwegian set himself apart from the others, especially in the cross-country sections, but whether his level has dropped or improved, according to Mäkäräinen, it is difficult to say, because there are many variables in biathlon.
– However, Johannes has been exceptionally talented since his youth and has been able to succeed for a long time. Although he has been consistently confident, the variation in results has come from shooting. With the help of his good physical skiing condition, he has been able to get some room for himself.
Ville Nousiainen Johannes Hösflot from Kläbo highlights this tactical ability. However, another Norwegian strength is also linked to that: the ability to move on snow.
– If you don’t have skill on skis, tactics won’t do anything. When you have everything else under control, it is possible to do any kind of tactics. Kläbo has a comprehensive package, Nousiainen said.
– He has mobility, that’s how agile he moves. It’s hard to teach, it’s rather the athlete’s responsibility to learn.
Since over-performing exercises
Skill can also be found in other superior athletes. Palander reminds that Shiffrin is a ski driver and technically superior, on a completely different level than other female skiers. He believes that in this season’s slalom and giant slalom competitions, the American has been 100% fastest in the final parts of the course.
Odermatt, on the other hand, has been able to find the optimal landing line most of the time in very different conditions. One of the reasons for Odermatti’s superiority can be found in the exercises and the demanding level at which he calculates.
– I’ve heard that he pulls at a freezing level of risk even in training. On the limit all the time. He tunes himself up that way, wants to overperform all the time. Many calculators just cruise in training, but then light up in competitions. Odermatt pulls full all the time.
Odermatti’s recent performances make Palander excited. Before Saturday’s interruption, the Swiss was completely superior, especially in the giant slalom. He had won nine World Cup season giant slalom races in a row this winter, and if last winter was included, he had 12 consecutive victories. Ingemar Stenmark once counted 15 consecutive giant slalom victories. Odermatt had also been able to finish in the top three in every giant slalom competition he started (26) for three seasons.
– There is not a shred of reason in that. Absolutely incomprehensible, Palander snapped at Odermatti’s statistics.
Odermatt is not a power calculator, but he has long limbs, especially from knee to ankle. It helps, especially in giant slalom, to get more leverage for turns. In Palander’s opinion, Odermatt is a stylizer and a classic calculator who can also use stick markings to rhythm the calculation.
– After all, he has a terrible technique in slalom. It would still be missing if he was good at it!
Genetic talents
Petter Kukkonen has praised Jarl-Magnus Riiber’s superiority for a long time. In his opinion, the Norwegian is a genetic talent whose physical fitness is superior. Kukkonen considers Riiber a “freak” in a positive way.
– His oxygen uptake capacity has already been exceptionally high at a young age, 86 ml/kg/min. In addition, he has exceptional leg power production, similar to the jumpers of the Norwegian hill country team, Kukkonen listed.
– He has endurance, speed and skill. However, these are not enough if you don’t know how to use them, but Jarl-Magnus can. He also has an incredible feel for snow.
Riiber belongs to the same comprehensive packages as Johannes Hösflot Kläbo, who have both oxygen intake, physics, technique and skill. Ville Nousiainen reminds that there are also others responsible for men’s skiing.
– However, Kläbo is the most superior of them.
Johannes Thingnes Bö won his first World Cup competition more than ten years ago, three years later than his older brother Tarjei Bö. Kaisa Mäkäräinen reminds that both brothers are still at the top of biathlon.
– They are like Fourcade brothers, Martin and Simon, where the younger Martin fared better. Is it a matter of the younger brother having to compete against a physically stronger one from a young age? Even so, there is genetic talent in that family.