Alta Badia: Albrecht snags GS win, Ligety fourth

Daniel Albrecht became the first man this season to win two giant slaloms with a tactical second run down one of the toughest GS hills in the world at Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday.

Second after the first run, Albrecht held a strong advantage on a course that got increasingly difficult in windy and warming conditions. Runner-up Ivica Kostelic had been 12th after the first run and third finishing Hannes Reichelt had advanced from the 14th position.

Daniel Albrecht became the first man this season to win two giant slaloms with a tactical second run down one of the toughest GS hills in the world at Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday.
 

Second after the first run, Albrecht held a strong advantage on a course that got increasingly difficult in windy and warming conditions. Runner-up Ivica Kostelic had been 12th after the first run and third finishing Hannes Reichelt had advanced from the 14th position.

Albrecht picked his through the course with the 13th fastest second run time and ensured the win when first run leader Didier Cuche struggled, winding up fifth.

America Ted Ligety, third after the initial run, needed a miraculous recovery just to finish and wound up fourth.
 

Albrecht had won the opening race of the season, also a GS, held at Soelden, Oct. 26. It is his fourth career win and third in GS.

A bright sun softened the course for the second run increasing the difficulty for the top skiers in the flip-30 format. As skiers launched their attacks the Gran Risa course raised its head, sunk the teeth in and shook. While only four skiers failed to make it through the second run, many more met with grief with later skiers unable to match the runs of Kostelic and Hannes Reichelt. The four-five and six skiers from the first run all dipped in the second with Italian hopeful Manfred Moelgg moving from fourth to eighth, Bennie Raich from fifth to seventh and season sensation Carlo Janka from sixth to 15th.
 

Albrecht took a little off his run to take the lead and first run leader Didier Cuche took too much off his run, dropping to fifth.
 

“It’s always special to win here as it is one of the classics, even if the conditions were not great with the rising temperatures making it too heavy,” Albrecht told CNN.
 

Burdened with poor early season results, Albrecht elected not to ski the downhill up the road at Val Gardena Saturday. He said the decision was a good one, allowing him to concentrate on the GS. “Today,” he said, “you saw the real Daniel Albrecht.”

One mistake cost Ligety dearly as he lost the lead in the GS standings. “I just made a mistake and that costs you a ton on this hill, especially when the snow is this soft,” he told AP. “I feel like I’m skiing well. It’s just a matter of getting to the finish without any mistakes.”

For Kostelic, who nearly turned the day into his first GS win, the conditions seemed to help. With his retired sister Janica standing by, he watched as the first run leaders failed to overtake him. 

“GS was always my worst discipline, so this was a big surprise for me,” he told AP. “It was bumpy in some places and it was pretty tough to find the right amount of pressure on your edges. In these kind of conditions I can ski pretty good.

Finn Marcus Sandell, the fourth starter in the afternoon heat, registered the fastest second run, finishing 11th on the day.

Bode Miller failed to finish the race, the fourth time this season he has met that fate. Jake Zamansky qualified for a second run and finished 24th. The lone Canadian to qualify, Jean-Philippe Roy, finished 26th.

At the half-way point for the men’s GS season Albrecht takes the standings lead 216-212 over Ligety with Cuche third at 210.

The SCOOP

By Hank McKee

Equipment

Men’s Giant Slalom, Alta Badia, Italy, Dec. 21, 2008

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Albrecht, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

2 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer

3 Reichelt, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

4 Ligety, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

5 Cuche, Head/Head/Tyrolia

6 Grange, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

7 Raich, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

8 Svindal, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

8 Blardone, Dynastar/Lange/Look

10 Fanara, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer

Men’s Giant Slalom, Alta Badia, Italy, Dec. 21, 2008. … It is the 12th race of the men’s 2008-09 World Cup schedule. … The fourth of eight giant slaloms. … It is the 27th World Cup at Alta Badia. … The 25th GS and the 23rd men’s GS. … A Monday slalom was added to the Alta Badia schedule, reset from Val d’Isere. … Entering the race only Ted Ligety had two GS podiums this season.

It is the fourth career World Cup win for Daniel Albrecht and third in GS. … It is his second win of the season having also won the opener Oct. 26 at Soelden. … It is the fourth win of the season for Switzerland and second of the weekend after Lara Gut claimed the super G at St Moritz Saturday. … It is the first Swiss win at Alta Badia since Michael VonGruenigen won in 1998.

It is the 23rd career World Cup podium for Ivica Kostelic. … But his first in GS, the others coming in slalom (18) and combined (4). … His previous best in GS had been eighth at Beaver Creek earlier this season (Dec. 7).

It is the 10th career World Cup podium for Hannes Reichelt. … the third in GS with the remaining all in super G. … It is the 17th podium of the season for the Austrian team, and the second in men’s GS.

It is the 21st top four placing in a World Cup race by Ted Ligety. … And his third this season all in GS. … In five races at Alta Badia in his career he has placings of 2-3-4-5- and 7. … It is the first career scoring result for Jake Zamansky. … The 25th for Jean-Philippe Roy.

Aksel Svindal (8th in race) maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 430-334 over Didier Cuche (5th in race). … Benjamin Raich (7th in race) is one point back in third place and Carlo Janka (15th in race) is two behind that with 331pts. … Ligety in the top American on the overall list in tenth place with 257pts. … Bode Miller is 11th with 240. …  Albrecht takes the lead in the GS standings 216-212 over Ligety with Cuche third at 210.

Men’s Giant Slalom, AltaBadia, Italy, Dec. 21, 2008

Did not finish 1st run: LONGHI Jhonatan (BRA), NOBLE Andrew (GBR), BJERKESTRAND Iver (NOR), WEIBRECHT Andrew (USA), NEUREUTHER Felix (GER), BECHTER Patrick (AUT), GINI Marc (SUI), VAJDIC Bernard (SLO), SCHOENFELDER Rainer (AUT)

Did not finish 2nd run: MATT Mario (AUT), GRUBER Christoph (AUT), MILLER Bode (USA)

Disqualified 2nd run: LEINO Jukka (FIN)

Did not qualify 1st run: JANYK Michael (CAN), BYGGMARK Jens (SWE), GRUENENFELDER Tobias (SUI), VRABLIK Martin (CZE), GRANDI Thomas (CAN), EISATH Florian (ITA), DIXON Robbie (CAN), SIMARI BIRKNER Cristian Javier (ARG), HELL Wolfgang (ITA), COVILI Frederic (FRA), LONGHI Omar (ITA), RAINER Niklas (SWE), VILETTA Sandro (SUI), KRYZL Krystof (CZE), PICHOT Sebastien (FRA), MYHRER Andre (SWE), KARLSEN Truls Ove (NOR), FREY Thomas (FRA), OLSSON Matts (SWE), COUSINEAU Julien (CAN), COCHRAN Jimmy (USA), PLONER Alexander (ITA), JITLOFF Tim (USA), BURTIN Raphael (FRA), ROBERTO Alessandro (ITA), GORZA Ales (SLO), LARSSON Markus (SWE), KUCERA John (CAN), SIMONCELLI Davide (ITA), GOERGL Stephan (AUT)