[After the race, Maier praised the skier he had passed on the career list, Alberto Tomba of Italy.] He was a great skier, ... He was a perfect skier. |
Benji still has a lot in front of him and I have to try hard to stay with him. But I'll watch him and if he slows down I'll catch him. |
Bronze is not bad, but luck has not been with me. Others have been super fit while I had the flu. |
Coming into the race I really had no idea how I would do and I certainly never thought that I could win again on such a difficult course. |
I always seem to pick the right place and time to make it back. |
I can be happy with second place because it is always good to be on the podium but I am totally unhappy with the way I raced, |
I didn't expect it. I was totally surprised myself, |
I feel I have a chance to win because I have solved the equipment problems that have hampered my performances since the start of the season. |
I go into this week and the Olympics feeling good and sure of myself. |
I had a perfect setup with my skis for me. I am very satisfied. I had a great start to the season, winning the giant slalom and super-G and now the downhill. This is perfect timing. It was important to win here. It is a demanding and high-speed course and for my downhill confidence it was very important. |
I hope that when the season really gets going in north America everything will be perfect again. |
I just found it overpowering - I guess the tension at the start of the season is a lot more than you feel later on. It's also been five years since I last won a giant slalom so I was just overfilled with joy. |
I just took a little break there after a hard day's work. |
I knew I had to be absolutely at the limit or this course would beat me. |
I like this hill. This is a very special hill for me. Every part, I had good times and the turn in the end is much like a downhill. I think I reached 80 mph. |