The Chamonix combined favored the speed skiers. The track calls for good gliding skills, which few slalom racers possess, and the one leg of slalom was on a short 627m (685 and change yards) course. Romed Baumann was terrific in a very cold downhill leg, leading everyone by seven tenths and all but two men by well over a second. A decent slalom skier, the race was his to lose.

As the race unfolded, his confidence could only grow. For right up until his run it was the 27th fastest downhill leg performer,  Alexis Pinturault, holding the lead.

The slalom guys could not compete. Ivica Kostelic, winner in six of the last seven World Cup combineds, couldn't unseat Pinturault. He wound up sventh. The gold medalist of last season, Aksel Lund Svindal couldn't get the young Frenchman out of the leader's spot either, finishing up fourth. Beat Feuz also fell short into third place.

With a 3.27 second margin over Pinturault, and with enough slalom skills to have earned a World Junior silver medal six years ago, Baumann held nerves in check and went after his second career World Cup combined win. He would register the 16th fastest slalom leg. His margin was down to 2.54 at the first interval and 1.9 at the second. The downhill lead, however, was easily enough and he collected the win by 1.1 seconds.

"I was only interested in a clean slalom run without a big mistake," Baumann said. "It is just dawning on me what I've done."

The Canadians, with an incredibly successful weekend in the books, skipped the race entirely, as did American Ted Ligety. Bode Miller was a downhill DNF. Erik Fisher led the way in 23rd, the only North American to score.

Gepa image
cover photo of Wiley Maple by Gepa

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Men's World Cup combined, Chamonix, France, Feb. 5, 2012
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Baumann, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Pinturault, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3 Feuz, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
4 Svindal, Head/Head/Head
4 Theaux, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
6 Defago, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
7 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
8 Fill, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Mermillod Blondin, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
10 Innerhofer, Rossignol/Rossignol

Men's World Cup combined, Chamonix, France, Feb. 5, 2012. ... It is the 26th race of the men's 45 (44) 2012 World Cup schedule. ... the third of four scheduled combineds. ... It is the 34th race hosted at least in part by Chamonix. ... and 11th combined.

It is the second career World Cup win for Romed Baumann the other also in combined, from Sestriere Feb. 22, 2009. ... It is his third podium of the season having placed second in downhill at both Kitzbuehel and at Chamonix in Saturday's race. ... He is the first Austrian to win a combined since Dec. 11, 2009.

It is the third career World Cup podium for Alexis Pinturault, his first in combined. ... All three of his podiums are second place results. ... It is his second podium of the season after placing 2nd in GS at Soelden in October. ... Four of his best five results have come this season.

It is the tenth career Cup podium result for Beat Feuz and his third in combined. ... Eight of his podium placings - including all three combined - have come this season

North Americans: Erik Fisher matches his eighth best career score with his first combined points.

Standings: Ivica Kostelic (seventh in race) maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 941-825 over Marcel Hirscher (did not race). ... Feuz is third at 793pts. ... Ted Ligety (did not race) is seventh with 578pts and Bode Miller (DNF 1st) eighth with 562. ... Erik Guay (did not race) is top Canadian in 14th with 386pts. ... Kostelic leads the combined standings 236-220 over Feuz with Baumann third with 145pts. ... Ligety is ninth with 85pts. ... Austria leads the mens' Nations Cup 4500-2821 over Switzerland. ... Italy is third with 2284pts. ... The US is fifth with 1581 and Canada seventh with 1124.

FIS World Cup
Men's Super Combined