Hermann Maier announces he will still be racing in 2007, and possibly beyond

Hermann Maier announces he will still be racing in 2007, and possibly beyond{mosimage}The great Hermann Maier, announced on Monday that he plans to race through the 2006 Winter Olympics, and wants to surpass Alberto Tomba on the all-time World Cup wins list.

“I’ll compete for another three seasons for sure, and maybe extend for another one,” Maier said in a September 6 press conference, covered by the Austria Press Agency.

Each of the next three seasons has a major event scheduled for February. 2005 will see the world championships in Bormio, Italy. The Olympics are in Torino, Italy in 2006 (men’s alpine skiing events in Sestriere). And 2007 world championships will be in Aare, Sweden.

Maier won the overall World Cup last season, overcoming a terrible leg injury from August of 2001. He Flachau native has 47 World Cup race wins, making him third on the all-time win list behind only Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden (86 wins) and Alberto Tomba of Italy (50 wins).

“Because of my injuries I only competed at one Olympics (and) participating a second time is my greatest goal,” said Maier, who landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated during the 1998 games in Nagano after miscalculating a jump in the downhill, crashing hard, and coming back to win gold medals.

The occasion for Maier’s announcement was in part the fact that he is extending his contract with the Austrian bank Raiffeisen, whose crossed-hammer logo has long graced the front of the champion’s helmet.

The Austrian television station ORF quoted Maier saying that he sees American all-rounder Bode Miller as a rival in the fight for the overall title. “If he can keep his nerves, Miller is very, very strong,” said Maier at ORF’s website.

Maier, who has struggled with a slight cold this summer, says his leg injury is not presently a major problem. He is still testing ski boots in on-snow tests.