With his triumph in the giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Thomas Tumler enters a new dimension that was no longer thought possible. The first World Cup victory is compensation in advance for the man from Graubünden.
Thomas Tumler stands with wet eyes in the finish area of the Birds of Prey slope, where he had already amazed everyone six years earlier with third place in the giant slalom. He is struggling to get his emotions in order shortly after his magnificent success. Nevertheless, his satisfaction is clear to see. His pride at having made the final breakthrough at the age of 35 and defied many shortcomings is also evident.
Thomas Tumler, do you have to pinch yourself from time to time to realize what's going on with you right now? Third place in the giant slalom at the World Cup final in Saalbach last March, now victory in Beaver Creek.
It just feels good to have made it after all. I was often far away from the best. It often looked like it would never be possible for me again. The fact that it's worked out like this now is just fantastic.
A few days ago you said that there was still room for improvement compared to your performance in Saalbach. You proved it on Sunday at the first opportunity.
My first run was sensational. However, I would have preferred to be the hunter rather than the hunted. But now I'm super proud that I managed to master a situation that was unfamiliar to me. To be the leader at the start after the first run for the first time and then to win - that's a fantastic feeling.
Yet you said after the first run that your run didn't feel fast.
When I have a good feeling when skiing, I'm usually not fast. During the run, I always thought I had to take a bit more of a risk. When I saw the lead over the two skiers who had started ahead of me at the finish, I assumed that they must not have had the best of times.
How was it between the two runs?
I was able to distract myself well, but I didn't do much different than if I had been tenth. I actually went better than I had imagined.
And then the feeling of being last at the top?
That was very special. The start intervals were so extremely long that you have time to think. Nevertheless, I was able to focus well.
It was a victory with an announcement.
(Laughs) When the current World Cup calendar was published, I said to my wife "Great, the giant slalom in Beaver Creek is back on the program. I'm going to win that". When I was sitting on the leader's throne, these sentences popped into my head again.
I maintain that most racers would have given up in your previous situation. What kept you in top-level sport? Were you convinced that one day you would still make it to the top?
I always had the feeling in training that a lot was possible. In the races, however, I often didn't have the starting position that would have allowed me to finish in the top ten. It was often a balancing act. On the one hand, I primarily wanted to get World Cup points, on the other hand I wanted more. This thinking often hindered and inhibited me.
Was there a moment when the switch flipped?
Two years ago, I finished 31st in the two giant slaloms in Alta Badia. With a bit more luck, I could have scored important points to improve my position on the start list. Those were moments when I struggled. Then came the giant slalom in Adelboden, where I managed to get a decent result for the first time, and the one in Schladming, where I qualified for the world championships. Securing a starting place in a team as strong as ours gave me a huge boost.
Did the coaches always have confidence in you?
Three years ago, I met zero criteria for being in the Swiss-Ski squad. But they believed in me. I'm grateful to them for giving me the chance again. They could have sent me back to the regional association, which would have meant the end of my career.
Four and a half years ago, you changed kit supplier. What was the impact of the change from Fischer and Stöckli?
It was a shame that I had missed the first season with Stöckli due to a slipped disc. But I felt the trust right from the start. Marco Odermatt supported me right from the start. That gave me additional motivation.
How does the turnaround for the better manifest itself in the individual races?
In the past, I often wanted too much. There was often a good split time followed by a failure or a big mistake. Now I know that what I can do is enough to be at the front, that it doesn't take anything special. I have more peace of mind now and can deal with stress and pressure better.
What about your back, your physical problem area?
It wasn't so long ago that I had problems again, namely in the week before the giant slalom in Sölden. I thought my career was over for good. It was red alert. I had caught lumbago, but it felt similar to a slipped disc. I couldn't move and could barely get out of the car. It was as if the world was falling apart for me. Fortunately, I soon realized that the problems were only muscular in nature. Two days later, everything was fine again.
Does your back need special treatment?
I have built up a very good environment. All the work is tailored to my back. I'm in the best of hands at Ramon Zürcher's practice in Einsiedeln. In the gym, I'm no longer the one lifting all those kilos like I used to.
Have you set yourself a time horizon for your career?
As long as I can fulfill my expectations, I see no reason to stop. Taking part in the Olympic Games the year after next is definitely in the back of my mind.
Do the previous long forced breaks possibly help you to be in better physical condition at an older age than if you had raced through ten winters in a row?
Perhaps, yes. The motivation is certainly greater. But I also feel very good physically, not like a skier aged 35. Because I only ski giant slaloms now, I have much less stress. When I see the program of Marco Odermatt, Justin Murisier or Gino Caviezel, I sometimes think that I wouldn't be able to do it anymore.
You've now put the super-G aside for the third season.
I actually wanted to concentrate on the super-G after the disc operation. I was doing better in this discipline than in the giant slalom. But after the injury, I was no longer willing to take risks. I could no longer overcome myself, I felt an inner handbrake. I still finished in the points one or two times. But the risk I was prepared to take was no longer enough to keep up with the best.
