Cuche holds early lead in Beaver Creek GS

Swiss Didier Cuche put down a spectacular first run in the men's GS at Beaver Creek Sunday (Dec. 2) to take the early lead, narrowly ahead of Italian Massimiliano Blardone, a two time runner-up in the GS standings. Austrian Benjamin Raich sat in a tie for third with Italian Manfred Moelgg, more than half a second off the pace of the top two.
    Ted Ligety of the U.S. and John Kucera of Canada were both within range (.60 and .68 respectively) of the leaders in fifth and sixth, but Bode Miller, the first skier on the hill, hip checked and had to hike to make a gate about mid-way down the course. Ten seconds off of Cuche's first run time, he did not make the cut for a second run and will miss scoring points for the first time this season.

Swiss Didier Cuche put down a spectacular first run in the men's GS at Beaver Creek Sunday (Dec. 2) to take the early lead, narrowly ahead of Italian Massimiliano Blardone, a two time runner-up in the GS standings. Austrian Benjamin Raich sat in a tie for third with Italian Manfred Moelgg, more than half a second off the pace of the top two.
    Ted Ligety of the U.S. and John Kucera of Canada were both within range (.60 and .68 respectively) of the leaders in fifth and sixth, but Bode Miller, the first skier on the hill, hip checked and had to hike to make a gate about mid-way down the course. Ten seconds off of Cuche's first run time, he did not make the cut for a second run and will miss scoring points for the first time this season.
    "I knew it could be good," said Cuche. "I just had to ski like I had in training."
     Raich had hopes he could make up the difference, but said it would be difficult. "Can it be made up? We will see. Easily? no."
    Four North Americans made the cut for a second run. Behind Ligety and Kucera, Canadian Francois Bourque was in a tie for 11th about a second off the pace and Erik Schlopy was 16th, 1.40 seconds back.