Marcel Hirscher confirms Sölden return to Alpine skiing World Cup circuit at start of 2024 season
The Austrian-born two-time Olympic champion will compete for the Netherlands, where his mother was born, in his comeback to the sport at the Alpine Skiing World Cup season opener in Sölden this Sunday.
Alpine Skiing
It's official: Marcel Hirscher's comeback to top-level Alpine skiing will take place this weekend at the 2024 season-opening World Cup giant slalom in Sölden, Austria on Sunday (27 October).
The skier, who has two Olympic golds, seven world titles, and 67 World Cup race wins to his name competing for Austria, will take to the starting gate in Sölden more than five years after his retirement.
Hirscher, who is 35, will compete for the Netherlands – where his mother was born – in his return to the sport, with skiing's international federation FIS having last month approved a request from the Dutch federation for a wild card allowing Hirscher to race in Sölden.
His comeback was originally announced in April, but his appearance in Sölden was only confirmed on a social media post by the Austrian's own ski equipment company, Van Deer, on Friday.
While there were rumours over whether or not the eight-time overall Crystal Globe winner would race in Sölden for weeks, including confusion when the Dutch team announced his participation on Tuesday only for Hirscher's team to deny it, any and all doubt vanished on Friday.
"Back to the game that we love," Hirscher said in the video.
The race in Sölden takes place 2051 days after the 35-year-old last raced on the World Cup circuit in Soldeu, Andorra, in March 2019.
Hirscher added in a press release from Van Deer: "Two versions of myself are clashing inside me: one loves this heart project of being able to be the ski racer I always wanted to compete with my own clothing and ski equipment.
"Racing for pure joy; collecting moments instead of results. And the racer and fighter that I used to be still exists. I only have to think about the countdown in the start house and my pulse climbs and I feel the adrenaline.
"So it's both: I'm extremely happy and I'm also really excited. That's why, as I've always said, I only made the decision at such short notice.”
The Austro-Dutchman's form is uncertain, with an interrupted build-up to the season.
"I'm like everyone else. I have no idea where I stand now," he added. "The only way for me to find out is to race on Sunday."
Hirscher has maintained his comeback is a "passion project", as he describes in the video, with no longer-term aim beyond a short return to the World Cup circuit.