Winterberg (pps) „He’s a feast for the eyes,“ said Germany’s David Moeller, two-time World Champion and silver medal winner at the 2010 Olympic Games. His compatriot Felix Loch, 2010 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion, is full of praise: “He’s a role model in every possible way.” The two are referring to Armin Zoeggeler of Italy, who claimed his 100th podium finish in the Viessmann Luge World Cup series in Winterberg last weekend.

Of the 100 podium finishes, he claimed a total of 55 victories, 25 second place finishes and 20 third place results. 39-year-old Zoeggeler will celebrate his 40th birthday on January 4, 2014. “It’s just great that I’ve finally achieved it,” said a happy Zoeggeler after the competition. Recently claiming a fourth place in Lillehammer and a fifth place result in Innsbruck-Igls, the exceptional athlete had narrowly missed this unique feat in luge.

Zoeggeler is enjoying the golden autumn of his career. Twice already, in Turin (2006) and in Vancouver (2010), he was asked to be Italy’s flag-bearer at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Twice already the luger from South Tyrol declined the honor with a heavy heart – always with a reference to the first two runs in the men’s singles the day after the long Opening Ceremony.

But now, ahead of his sixth start at the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Zoeggeler accepted the offer. “It is a great honor,” Zoeggeler said and added, modest as always: “Of course provided that I’ll be nominated.” But there’s not a shadow of a doubt. After his successful Olympic competitions with two gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals, he might even claim his sixth Olympic medal.

“I’m absolutely fit and in good shape. And I’m on an upward trend right now,” Zoeggeler confirmed. The demanding labyrinth in the Caucasus will surely play an important role, too, since the artificially refrigerated track with three upward passages seems to be tailor-made for such an excellent luger as Zoeggeler. And it is not only David Moeller who warns: “You should never write off someone like Armin. This would be the biggest mistake ever.”