from Alpine Ski Racing
 Alberto Tomba |
"After a long period of reflection I have decided to give up ski racing to start a new life," said the flamboyant 31-year-old Italian champion from Bologna. "I want to thank all the people who backed me for all these years. It has been a great time."
This announcement didn’t really surprise the world of alpine skiing that expected this decision. In fact, Tomba more or less expressed his intention to leave the "White Scene" at the end of last season after his impressive victory at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, during the World Cup finals.
After beating two Slalom Olympic Champions, Hans Peter Buraas and Finn Christian Jagge, both from Norway, "Tomba-la-Bomba" took off all his equipment and threw it to the public while saying "that’s it, good bye." Then he hugged his sister Alessia and cried in her arms before being carried on the shoulders of his Norwegian rivals. Yet on that day he was not able to make it clear to the press and his fans that he had really enough of ski racing after having spent 15 years in the Italian Team. "I want to rest a little and I’ll see during the coming summer how I feel about it," he explained at Crans-Montana.
In fact, he didn’t stop working-out and he went several times to train on the glaciers in France and Italy. He made also various presentations for some of his sponsors and, in September, he started to act in a TV movie.
"He plays the role of an Italian policeman and he enjoys it a lot," said his sister, who also handles his PR. In the back of his mind, Tomba was still looking for a way to keep on racing for a while because this is what he likes the most.
"He was skiing at his best level, very smooth and relaxed," said his trainer Flavio Roda on Saturday. "He is physically at his best and he would have had no problem to keep on winning races. Most of the top slalom skiers are his age or even older."
But "Albertone" needed to feel the support of the entire world of skiing to nourish his flame and accept the pains and frustrations of his activity during the demanding period of training. Apparently, he didn’t get it — none of his main sponsors or suppliers and nobody from the Italian or the International Ski Federation tried to convince him to remain for a while. This silence hurt Alberto and his family who are facing tough times for a year now because of an apparent tax fraud of US$15 million.
"Alberto took this decision by himself, he has given so much of himself during all these years," said Alessia. "He is looking for a new challenge now, and he has always dreamt to become an actor. He was already one on the slopes — now he is doing it on the set."
Tomba's first TV movie is named "Alex the Arries" and it should be finished in November. Then he will fly to the USA to take part in some promotions and paid-appearances before coming back in Italy before Christmas. Apparently he will compete on December 29th in a last exhibition at Sestriere, the area where he won his first World Cup race in November, 1987.
It’s quite a gap that Alberto Tomba will leave in the "White Circus." He was not only an exceptional and graceful athlete who won 50 World Cup races, 5 Gold Medals in Olympics and World Championships, and the Overall World Cup title in 1995, but also a fantastic showman who seduced the people all around the globe. He always considered himself as an actor on skis who entertained the public that traveled from far away to see him racing. He always gave his best to try to win.
In some races over 50,000 spectators would stand along the course to watch him fighting his way down the hill. In Italy, 15 to 20 million people watched him on TV during his first Olympics in 1988 and 1992. In America, he became a star thanks to the numerous shows produced during the past Olympics by ABC or CBS.
Ski racing made him a wealthy champion but it wasn’t the money that really motivated him; his father was already a rich businessman and he grew up outside of Bologna in a beautiful mansion built on a small hill at "Castel dei Britti."
The fact that he was born in a large city far way from the Alps made him a different man in many aspects of his career and also created controversies. In fact, after exploding on the "White Circus" in 1987/88, he often fought with the media or the sports authorities because of his personal opinions. In a way he created and enjoyed the tension, but at the end he was also tired of it.
At Crans-Montana he was released and happier than ever to win that last slalom of the season — after it, he could finally leave the stage as a winner.