LAKE LOUISE, Alta.–Swiss ski ace Didier Cuche was likely speaking for all of Hermann Maier's rivals in reacting to the Austrian legend's return to the top of the podium at a time when his winning days were supposed to be over.
"It's nice to see him back, but hopefully it's Hermann Maier back and not the Hermanator," said Cuche, who was third behind Maier in yesterday's men's World Cup super-G race. "Hopefully for us."
Maier was definitely b-a-a-a-c-k yesterday, blowing away the rest of the field, including Canadian runner-up John Kucera, to win his 54th World Cup race by nearly six-10ths of a second.
It was his first victory in nearly three years. A two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion, Maier hasn't decided if he'll try to stick around for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
A couple of Austrian coaches carried Maier on their shoulders to the podium. It wasn't that long ago they might have done it because he couldn't make it there himself. The soon-to-be 36-year-old former bricklayer figured his career was over earlier this year when he was felled by back problems.
"It's a great feeling," said Maier, who took painkillers before the race. "In the springtime, I thought I was finished with my career."
But when Maier resumed training he found he still had great endurance and once he got on the snow in August in Chile, he found there was still some magic in his skis.
"Everybody thinks he's done," said Kucera. "But this is his big event, this is super-G, this is his bread and butter.
"You saw it today. He won by a big margin. This is like the Hermann of old."
Old Hermann. Hermann of old.
Either way, count Canadian Erik Guay among the impressed.
Guay, who idolized Maier as a kid, finished seventh, while Robbie Dixon of North Vancouver placed 19th.
"To see him come back and win a race, that's amazing," said Guay.
"It's motivating for me, too. I think he's 36 years old. That means I've got another nine years to ski, hopefully even longer."
