Press Release
Albrecht wins World Cup giant slalom; Roy top Canadian in 29th
The Canadian Press
Sun 26 Oct 2008
Section: Sports In General
SOELDEN, Austria _ Daniel Albrecht won the season-opening men's World Cup giant slalom Sunday while Didier Cuche came second on the icy Rettenbach course to make it a 1-2 Swiss finish.
Albrecht, who led after the first leg, finished in a two-run combined time of two minutes 15.78 seconds to beat Cuche by 0.14 seconds.
World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety was third, 1.25 seconds behind Albrecht, while Benjamin Raich placed fourth, another 0.05 seconds behind.
Defending overall champion Bode Miller was fifth after the opening run but the American was only 21st on his second to finish 10th, trailing Albrecht by 1.59 seconds.
Jean-Philippe Roy of Ste-Flavie, Que., was the top Canadian in 29th. Erik Guay and Stefan Guay, both of Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Julien Cousineau of Lachute, Que., did not qualify for the second run.
John Kucera of Calgary, Francois Bourque of New Richmond, Que., and Robbie Dixon of North Vancouver, B.C., didn't finish the first run.
It was Albrecht's third World Cup victory after two wins in 2007 _ a giant slalom and a super combined, both in Beaver Creek, Colorado. He also became the first Swiss to win the season-opening event since Steve Locher in 1996.
"Someone told me before the start it was that long ago that a Swiss racer won here,'' Albrecht said. "So I thought it was about time to change that.''
Albrecht was the last racer out on the course after Cuche had just posted the fastest time.
"I became very nervous when I saw Didier's time in the second run, it put me under a lot of pressure,'' Albrecht said.
The winner said he would now try to become a serious contender for the overall World Cup this season.
"If I can do well on the speed events, then we'll see. But it sure is a huge goal in my career,'' the 25-year-old Albrecht said.
Cuche said he was surprised to take second place.
"I was feeling well but you never know how fast you are until you actually race,'' said Cuche, who had recovered in time from a mountain bike accident in the off-season. "I was going for top 10, so this is a great result.''
Ligety started the defence of his red bib as discipline champion in style with a podium finish.
"I am definitely happy,'' Ligety said. "It's good to be on the podium after the first race.
Ligety climbed from fourth after the opening leg to third place despite posting only the 20th best time in his second run.
"The second run was a little tough,'' Ligety said. "I did really well coming into the big ditch but I made a big mistake. I lost my confidence there.''
Former overall champion Aksel Lund Svindal, who won the race last year, made his return to the World Cup circuit almost a year after a downhill training crash put him out for a season. He finished 13th, 1.76 seconds behind Albrecht.
"I am feeling good but I obviously can't be satisfied with how I raced,'' Svindal said.
The men's World Cup circuit continues with a slalom race in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 16.
Albrecht wins World Cup giant slalom; Roy top Canadian in 29th
The Canadian Press
Sun 26 Oct 2008
Section: Sports In General
SOELDEN, Austria _ Daniel Albrecht won the season-opening men's World Cup giant slalom Sunday while Didier Cuche came second on the icy Rettenbach course to make it a 1-2 Swiss finish.
Albrecht, who led after the first leg, finished in a two-run combined time of two minutes 15.78 seconds to beat Cuche by 0.14 seconds.
World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety was third, 1.25 seconds behind Albrecht, while Benjamin Raich placed fourth, another 0.05 seconds behind.
Defending overall champion Bode Miller was fifth after the opening run but the American was only 21st on his second to finish 10th, trailing Albrecht by 1.59 seconds.
Jean-Philippe Roy of Ste-Flavie, Que., was the top Canadian in 29th. Erik Guay and Stefan Guay, both of Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Julien Cousineau of Lachute, Que., did not qualify for the second run.
John Kucera of Calgary, Francois Bourque of New Richmond, Que., and Robbie Dixon of North Vancouver, B.C., didn't finish the first run.
It was Albrecht's third World Cup victory after two wins in 2007 _ a giant slalom and a super combined, both in Beaver Creek, Colorado. He also became the first Swiss to win the season-opening event since Steve Locher in 1996.
"Someone told me before the start it was that long ago that a Swiss racer won here,'' Albrecht said. "So I thought it was about time to change that.''
Albrecht was the last racer out on the course after Cuche had just posted the fastest time.
"I became very nervous when I saw Didier's time in the second run, it put me under a lot of pressure,'' Albrecht said.
The winner said he would now try to become a serious contender for the overall World Cup this season.
"If I can do well on the speed events, then we'll see. But it sure is a huge goal in my career,'' the 25-year-old Albrecht said.
Cuche said he was surprised to take second place.
"I was feeling well but you never know how fast you are until you actually race,'' said Cuche, who had recovered in time from a mountain bike accident in the off-season. "I was going for top 10, so this is a great result.''
Ligety started the defence of his red bib as discipline champion in style with a podium finish.
"I am definitely happy,'' Ligety said. "It's good to be on the podium after the first race.
Ligety climbed from fourth after the opening leg to third place despite posting only the 20th best time in his second run.
"The second run was a little tough,'' Ligety said. "I did really well coming into the big ditch but I made a big mistake. I lost my confidence there.''
Former overall champion Aksel Lund Svindal, who won the race last year, made his return to the World Cup circuit almost a year after a downhill training crash put him out for a season. He finished 13th, 1.76 seconds behind Albrecht.
"I am feeling good but I obviously can't be satisfied with how I raced,'' Svindal said.
The men's World Cup circuit continues with a slalom race in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 16.