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World Cup 26 winner Hermaaaaan.
“The game feels better than it ever has”
Hermaaaaan won not one but two overall titles this season — TimeAttack and One Try. We asked him about the races that nearly cost him the crown, his father-in-law on the leaderboard, and why he still drives without ghost lines.
Congratulations on winning World Cup 26. How does it feel?
It’s a wonderful feeling — especially because this year it’s actually a double win, taking both the One Try and the TimeAttack titles. I won the overall World Cup in 2023 and 2024, so it feels good to be back at the top. The physics update this season brought me back to the game and impressed me right from the start. The game feels better than it ever has.
Looking back at the season — which races were most important for your title run?
That’s a tough question. In TimeAttack it fortunately never got as tight as it did in One Try. In One Try, the negative highlights were definitely Beaver Creek — which I had to skip — and Kitzbühel Super-G, where I had two crashes. Those two races could easily have decided the title at the end.
On The Mountain
Your Bormio win was dominant — 707ms ahead of the field on the Stelvio. What clicked for you there?
Bormio is one of my favourite tracks. The tricky, winding middle section suits my style. I generally prefer demanding tracks where you have to try several different lines to find the fastest way through. The opposite of Bormio, for me, is Zermatt.
“Turn off the ghost. Turn off the guide poles. Learn the track by heart — only then do you actually understand why you’re sometimes faster and sometimes slower.”
Zauchensee 9th, Kitzbühel Super-G 25th — what went wrong?
In Zauchensee I just had terrible timing at the only two really difficult sections of the track — no idea why. I’d run the TimeAttack with a big lead and simulated the One Try several times in TimeAttack mode where everything worked. But the moment you press that One Try button, your heart rate goes up slightly and you don’t race quite the way you did before. In Kitzbühel I went into a gate after the Hausbergkante because I knew I had to take risks. Unfortunately I didn’t reset far enough back — and immediately went into the same gate again.
After the Kitzbühel Downhill, just one point separated you, JohnJulian, and Pepikum20. Did that pressure affect you?
Honestly, I was still a bit annoyed about my two crashes in the Super-G. But that might actually have worked in my favour — I wasn’t hyper-focused on the standings, which kept me more relaxed.
Rivals & Competition
Pepikum20 beat you in several One Try races. How do you handle a mid-season loss like that?
In One Try, a single small mistake is enough to decide a race. But I know that I usually have the upper hand in TimeAttack, so I’m always confident I’ll be back at the front in the next One Try. At this level, a degree of self-belief is essential.
Is there a rival on the leaderboard you watch closely?
Yes — Naka66. He’s my father-in-law.
JohnJulian and Pepikum20 are 21 points apart heading into the Saalbach finale. Who takes second?
The advantage is on John’s side. That one extra point could end up costing Pepikum second place.
You’ve been playing since 2006. What’s your advice for players who want to compete at World Cup level?
You have to put in the hours — there’s no shortcut to getting to this level. But more importantly: turn off the ghost and turn off the guide poles. You have to learn every track yourself and know it by heart. Only then do you actually understand why you’re sometimes faster and sometimes slower. I first played Ski Challenge at my brother’s place in 2006 on the PC. Since then it’s been a winter tradition.
World Cup 26 winner Hermaaaaan.
Champion Snapshot
Overall WC: 1st
One Try: 1st
TimeAttack: 1st
Also won: WC 23 & 24
Key Quote
“Turn off the ghost. Turn off the guide poles. Learn the track by heart.”
Story Highlights
- Double title winner in One Try and TimeAttack
- Bormio named as one of his favourite tracks
- Kitzbühel Super-G nearly changed the title race
- Still races without ghost lines
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