Marcel Hirscher returns: The comeback of the ski star in the World Cup!

Marcel Hirscher returns: The comeback of the ski star in the World Cup!

Sölden, Österreich - Marcel Hirscher, the eight-time overall World Cup winner, has officially announced a comeback in the Ski World Cup. The 36-year-old is currently recovering from a cruciate ligament tear that he contracted during training on the Reiteralm last December. After only three races in the pre -season, his return due to the injury was speculated, but rehabilitation is going well and the athlete feels ready for the coming season. Hirscher says: "Now you can call it a comeback - now you can call it a comeback" and announced that you will start the new season in Sölden on October 26, but with the necessary level of patience and work for full healing.

The current situation offers the former champion an interesting regulation. According to the provisions of the FIS, Hirscher can use his wildcard starting spaces from last season, which benefits him. This "Protected Ranking" regulation enables established athletes who, for example, win gold medals at the Olympic Games or World Cups to return to the competition easier. Other athletes like Lindsey Vonn and Lucas Braathen also benefited from this regulation.

rehabilitation and support

Hirscher has worked intensively on his rehabilitation in recent months. Various videos about his rehabilitation and training success have aroused great hopes among the fans. His “heart project” is to return to skiing and the support of his family and team plays a crucial role. Even if Hirscher was only able to complete up to 20 starts last winter due to his injury, he remained 17 possible starting places for the coming season.

The return of athletes like Hirscher is not only personally gratifying, but also for skiing. Racing director Markus Waldner rejected the term "Lex Hirscher" for the regulation, but realizes that the return of great names will benefit the sport as a whole. This shows the relevance that Hirscher has within the ski scene.

A similar story recently experienced the Austrian ski jumper Eva Pinkelnig. On January 1, 2024, she won first place at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Oberstdorf and speaks in a video about her own rehab trial and the influence of the "mountain doctor" on her competition preparation. Such success stories help to continue the sport in a dynamic way and inspire athletes.

Marcel Hirscher is now preparing for his return while he keeps an eye on the challenges and health aspects. The fans can hope for an exciting winter and be excited to see how his return in the World Cup will develop.