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www.worldskinews.com/Beaver
Creek (USA) 04.12.2004
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Men
Giant Slalom- Race report
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| [ Report
] [ Results
] [ GS
Standings ] [ Overall
Standings ]
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Lasse Kjus
back at the top
Beaver Creek, Colorado, Dec.4th - Lasse
Kjus is a very patient champion - and
a very special one too! Nine years after
his first World Cup victory in a giant
slalom, the 33-year-old Scandinavian
became on the oldest skiers to capture
another giant slalom race after achieving
an impressive second run down the difficult
Birds of Prey course above Beaver Creek.
On that same slope, he won a gold medal
in Super-G six years ago!
Vail Valley is apparently a special
area for Norway's incomparable ski hero
who captured his very first World Cup
race in Vail winning a Super-G nine
years ago! Four years later, during
the FIS World's from February 1999,
he became the first and only champion
to clinch five medals during the same
World Championships - two in gold in
Super-G and giant slalom and three in
silver in downhill, slalom and combined!
This time the two-time Overall World
Cup Champion from 1996 and 1999 beat
by 45/100 of a second Austria's Hermann
Maier while Benjamin Raich came in 3rd
at 64/100. Raich lost much time in the
first run after making a huge mistake
and almost skiing out of the course.
This first podium is a great reward
for his great fighting spirit.
Lasse's teammate Aksel Lund Svindal,
a strong 2nd in the first run, moved
down to 4th place ahead of Austria's
very relaxed Stephan Goergl, only 16th
in the first run!
The No 1 favourite of that race, USA's
Bode Miller, winner in four of the past
five races, exploded at the beginning
of his first run while Austria's Christoph
Gruber, impressive leader after the
first run, skied out in the middle of
the second run. Finland's Kalle Palander,
3rd in Soelden, was a far and disappointed
17th while Italy's Massimiliano Blardone
only finished 14th. He clocked the 3rd
fastest time in the morning!
17th victory for Lasse
Suddenly Kjus found himself winning
his 17th World Cup race - quite an emotional
moment for one of the oldest skiers
on the tour, a unique champion deeply
admired and respected by his colleagues.
“This is fantastic, I didn't expect
something like this, in fact I was quite
tired this morning after the first run,”
he said afterwards. “I suffer a
bad cold for weeks which obliged me
to skip the downhill yesterday. My immune
system doesn't work properly when it's
too cold or when the air is too dry.
My bronchial tubes are totally blocked
and I have a hard time to breathe.”
“This helped me to better prepare
this giant slalom after my fine Super-G
from Thursday. I could rest and relax
yesterday. I felt more energy in me
than in the past days.”
Hermann was pleased
Hermann Maier too was pleased by his
impressive comeback after two disappointing
days. For the first time since 1997,
the four-time Overall World Cup Champion
could not win a single race here. Yet
he will leave Colorado with the feeling
that there is still a lot to expect
from the present season.
“This is a great result for me,
I fully appreciate it,” said Hermann.
“It's my best GS result since my
comeback. I didn't expect it after the
first race in Soelden. Giant slalom
is a tough event but I was very motivated
today.”
“I know what were the problems
in the speed events which prevented
me to ski as well as I was hoping to.
I was not too frustrated before this
giant slalom,” he added. “I
still have to find the right tuning
for my equipment. It was very cold this
week and I did not have a chance to
test it on such hard conditions last
summer. I need a perfect setting to
be able to use all my power on the hill.
I could not control my skis the way
I wanted and I didn't feel very sure.”
“Today I wanted to show what I
have in me. I had an OK run this morning,
but I could have skied straighter. Yet
my 7th place was very encouraging. In
the afternoon, I didn't feel so fast
in the upper part and it made me angry.
Then I decided to be more aggressive
and I took the most direct line - as
in the old days. It was a great feeling.
In a way, I did well because I was mad
at me. It's good to feel able to reach
another level. It means a lot to me
to improve my GS which has become a
very difficult event for me after my
injury.”
“Now I feel confident looking forward
for the coming races. For sure, Bode
Miller had an impressive season start,
but the season is very long. He will
have a tough time now to handle all
these days of training, racing and travelling
which will take place in the coming
two and half weeks.”
“He is certainly tough to beat
on demanding hills, but I feel ready
for my home race in Flachau. I never
did better than 3rd there and I didn't
qualify last season.”
No doubt that Hermann will soon recover
all his momentum and his confidence.
The duel between him and Bode Miller
may have just started now!
Patrick Lang
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http://www.vaildaily.com
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