J-B Grange upends Kostelic run in Kitzbuehel slalom

Jean-Baptiste Grange derailed the Croatian Express by coming from behind to earn the Hahnenkamm slalom crown at Kitzbuehel, Austria Sunday (Jan. 23). It was his second slalom win at Kitzbuehel and his second win of the season after missing last season to a right knee injury. Grange fired off the fastest second run time to move from fourth to first.

First run leader Ivica Kostelic of Croatia was bidding for his sixth win of the month as he continues to step away from the rest of the World Cup field toward the overall title. He could not match the Frenchman out of the blocks and though he closed to within a hundredth of a second at the mid-course timing he finished .28 back in second place. He was only sidelined briefly as he claimed the combined win once the calculations were completed to get that sixth win of the month and put the express right back into high gear.

Third went to Olympic champion Giuliano Razzoli of Italy, his best finish since Vancouver.

The U.S. got a boost in the arm from Nolan Kasper, the Europa Cup slalom leader, who started 58th and finished among the top dozen. It was the best U.S. finish in a Kitzbuehel slalom since 2008. Both American contenders for the race, Ted Ligety and Bode Miller, exited in the first run.

Despite a host of slalom demons, Austria got shoved off the podium, but still crammed four skiers into the top 10. Marcel Hirscher finished fourth, Reinfried Herbst fourth, Mario Matt was eighth and Manfred Pranger tenth.

Canada also had reason for smiles with another strong team effort in the tight gates. Brad Spence finished 14th, Julien Cousineau 15th, Michael Janyk 17th and Paul Stutz 25th.

When the calculations were complete, Kostelic was on top of the combined result winning the combined by two seconds over Silvan Zurbriggen of
Switzerland. Romed Baumann was third in combined to give the host
country two podiums for the weekend. The event was a traditional combined using results from Saturday’s downhill and Sunday’s slalom. It was Kostelic’s second straight Hahnekamm combined victory.

He rode out of Kitzbuehel 125,000 euros and 304pts richer than when he walked in.

“That was the biggest race weekend of my entire career,” he said. “Taking part in two races at the same time is really difficult because on the one hand you have to ski technically well to achieve success in the combination, but on the other give full power to the slalom discipline. Winning the combined means an important step forward has been made in the overall World Cup position, but there are still many outstanding races. Most important for me is that I stay healthy because only then can I earn more points.”

Grange – with no combined ambitions, said he was surprised when he crossed the finish line and saw he was in first place. He injured his back in December and at one point was uncertain he’d be ready to compete in time for Kitzbuehel. “Winning here is something really special,” he said. “It feels good to be back at the top again.”

Kasper said he thought he had the right decision to skip the World Cup slalom at Wengen in favor of gaining some confidence in Europa Cup races. Returning then to Kitzbuehel, where he first made a World Cup second run a season ago, fit right into the confidence package.

“Kitzbuehel is a real special place,” he shouted over the noise of the horns and cheering spectators. He said the slalom hill “doesn’t let up anywhere: side hills, steep, rolls, everything.”

And next up on the agenda is Schladming, the infamous night slalom on Tuesday. And that’s where he scored his only other World Cup points.
 
Gepa photo

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Men’s Slalom, Kitzbuehel, Austria, Jan. 23, 2011
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Grange, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
3 Razzoli, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
4 Hirscher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Herbst, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker
6 Myhrer, Nordica/Nordica/
7 Hargin, Nordica/Nordica/
8 Matt, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker
9 Deville, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
10 Pranger, Voelkl/Tecnica/Marker

Men’s combined, Kitzbuehel, Austria, Jan. 22-23, 2011
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
2 Zurbriggen, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
3 Baumann, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
4 Jansrud, Head/Head/Head
5 Fill, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Innerhofer, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7 Theaux, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Marsaglia, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Feuz, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Men’s World Cup slalom and combined, Kitzbuehel, Austria, Jan. 23, 2011. … These are the 22nd and 23rd races of the men’s 39 race 2011 World Cup season. … the 21st and 22nd held. … It is the sixth of ten scheduled slaloms and the second of four combineds. … They are the 122nd and 123rd Cup events to be held at least in part at Kitzbuehel. … the 45th Cup slalom and the 33rd Cup combined. … They are the final events of the 71st annual Hahnenkamm.

The slalom win is the eighth career World Cup win for Jean-Baptiste Grange, the seventh in slalom. … It is his second win of the season, the first at Levi Nov. 14. … He won five races in the 2008 season and skipped the 2010 season due to a right knee injury.

The slalom marks the 41st career World Cup podium for Ivica Kostelic. … the 30th in slalom. … It is his sixth podium result at Kitzbuehel (7th with combined). … It is his eighth podium of the season (9th with combined) all of them coming in the month of January. … The combined is his 17th career win (4th in combined). … It is the second straight year he has won the Kitzbuehel combined.

The slalom is the fifth career World Cup podium for Giuliano Razzoli. …  and his second straight third place finish in slalom at Kitzbuehel.

The combined is the 12th career World Cup podium result for Silvan Zurbriggen. …  his seventh in combined. … He has been on the combined podium at Kitzbuehel three times and at Wengen three times. … It is his third podium of the season, the other two coming in DH.

The combined is the sixth career World Cup podium for Romed Baumann. … The fourth in combined. … It is his third podium of the season the others a third at Lake Louise in SG and a second at Val Gardena in DH.

The slalom results mark is a career best result (of two) for Nolan Kasper. … The other was scored at Schladming last season. … He is the current leader of the Europa Cup slalom standings. … It is the tenth career scoring result for Brad Spence and fourth of the season. … His career best Cup placing is 12th. … It is the 20th career scoring result for Julien Cousineau and fourth of the season all in slalom. … It is the third scoring result of the season for Michael Janyk, the other two top five placings. … It is the seven career scoring result for Paul Stutz. … his first of the season. … It is his third score at Kitzbuehel in slalom.

The combined marks the 12th career World Cup placing for Ryan Semple. … and matches a career best, also from Kitzbuehel in combined last season.

Kostelic now leads the World Cup overall standings 1030-629 over Silvan Zurbriggen (13th in slalom, 2nd in combined). … Aksel Lund Svindal (DNF slalom)  is third overall with 585pts. … Ted Ligety is the top American in 10th overall with 422pts, Bode Miller 11th overall with 382. … Top Canadian is Erik Guay (did not race) in 33rd with 145pts. … Kostelic leads the slalom standings 433-326 over Marcel Hirscher (4th in race). … Grange is third with 282pts. … Michael Janyk leads North Americans on the slalom list in 15th with 109pts (Julien Cousineau is 16th with 107). … Ted Ligety is the top U.S. skier in slalom in 25th place and 53pts. … Kostelic leads the combined standings 200-112 over Carlo Janka (8th in cmb, DNQ for slalom). … Zurbriggen is third with 98pts. … Bode Miller is the top U.S. combined skier in 13th with 40pts. … Ryan Semple is top Canadian in 14th with 32pts. … Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup 3584-2463 over Switzerland. … Italy is third with 1804. … The U.S. is seventh with 950pts and Canada ninth with 841pts.