- A stunning development in alpine skiing: Niels Hintermann announced his retirement mid-broadcast.
- The 30-year-old from Zurich cited excessive physical risk as the reason for his decision.
- The announcement comes after Hintermann overcame a battle with lymphoma earlier in 2025.
The question of why Niels Hintermann wasn’t at the start in Courchevel was answered dramatically by the skier himself after the race – with a bombshell announcement: “The reason is simple: I’m done with skiing. My last race was in Crans-Montana. I’m no longer willing to risk my life the way I would have to.”
Hintermann was diagnosed with lymphoma in October 2024, successfully battling the disease with chemotherapy by February 2025. However, the experience left a lasting impact. “I’ve been given a second life. And that’s why I don’t desire to gamble with it so much anymore.”
Listening to His Body and Mind
Hintermann explained that not going all-out in a downhill race “becomes dangerous.” “And I want to finish on my own terms, without having to flail around in a net.”
He revealed a deeper struggle: “I was having panic attacks one after another. Last week, we tried everything possible, even hypnosis. And it felt good all week, but as soon as I got to the start, my body and my head said no.”
Hintermann’s career highlights include two World Cup downhill victories in Kvitfjell, Norway, in 2022 and 2024. He also surprisingly won the Alpine Combined event in Wengen in 2017. Throughout his career, he competed in 106 World Cup races, achieving seven podium finishes.
Hintermann’s Three World Cup Wins
Odermatt: “Great Respect”
The news of Hintermann’s retirement came as a shock to everyone, including teammate Marco Odermatt. The recently crowned Overall and Downhill World Cup champion said: “This really hits me hard. We’ve shared several years together on the World Cup circuit. I have great respect for what he’s shown, especially in the last year. It can’t be praised enough.”
