Lara Gut-Behrami is not starting the new World Cup winter in Sölden in full possession of her strength. Due to a persistent flu, the skier from Ticino has had to miss three weeks of training.
"I wish I could say I was feeling great. But the last month has been challenging. I was ill, I was in pain, I saw a surgeon," said the 33-year-old overall World Cup winner from the previous season two days before the giant slalom opener on the Rettenbach Glacier on Saturday.
Gut-Behrami explained that she fell ill at the end of September and was unable to train for three weeks. "As a result, I lost a lot of muscle and found it a bit difficult. My confidence also suffered as a result." The damaged knee itself was not the problem, Gut-Behrami emphasized. She had previously suffered a blow to it in South America, which had already temporarily prevented her from training on the snow there - but more as a precautionary measure, as it was not possible to make a sound medical assessment on the spot.
There are days when she feels fit and ready, but there are also downs, Gut-Behrami explained. However, the start in Sölden was not up for discussion. "On the days when I couldn't stretch my knee, I didn't think about racing. But sometimes it works in the race anyway, and then the confidence can be there again straight away. Maybe I need a few races to get that good feeling back. At the moment I'm at ninety percent," says the 45-time World Cup winner.
Gut-Behrami starts the winter on Saturday as the overall World Cup winner of the previous season. Thanks to her eight victories in 2023/24, she is now only ten behind Vreni Schneider, the most successful Swiss woman.
SDA
