Cuche dispels retirement rumours
Swiss veteran skier Didier Cuche has ended rumours that he was ready to retire by pledging to return next season.
The three-time World Cup downhill champion and cornerstone of the Swiss ski team called a news conference on the eve of the season’s final meeting in the Swiss resort of Lenzerheide, saying he had “great motivation” to continue.
The news was greeted by applause by assembled reporters. “I’m continuing out of pure fun and not because I have to prove anything to anyone,” said Cuche, adding that skiing was his biggest passion.
Cuche could win his fourth downhill title – second only to Austrian great Franz Klammer’s five – with a victory on Wednesday.
Swiss media had speculated 36-year-old Cuche would quit after a dispute earlier this month with World Cup race director Günter Hujara.
The International Ski Federation fined Cuche SFr5,000 ($5,400) for verbally threatening Hujara over course safety at Kvitfjell in Norway. Cuche then went on to win the super-G on March 13 for his 17th career World Cup victory.
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