Kranjska Gora: Can Austria's men find the groove?

The resort of Kranjska Gora, in the northwestern part of Slovenia, will host the men’s World Cup tour for the 46th time this weekend, and the slalom and giant slalom races on tap perhaps hold the most importance for the struggling Austrian team.
    With the World Cup Finals scheduled in two weeks in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, no Austrian men’s racer leads the standings in any World Cup discipline with five events to go before the Finals.
    Interestingly enough, the Austrian women are aiming for a clean sweep on their side with Marlies Schild having clinched the slalom and super combined titles while also leading in the overall, Renate Goetschl leading in the speed events and Nicole Hosp in the giant slalom. If Austria’s men don’t make a late charge, it would be the first time since 1998 that the nation would not capture a single World Cup title on the men's tour.



KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — The resort of Kranjska Gora, in the northwestern part of Slovenia, will host the men’s World Cup tour for the 46th time this weekend, and the slalom and giant slalom races on tap perhaps hold the most importance for the struggling Austrian team.
    With the World Cup Finals scheduled in two weeks in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, no Austrian men’s racer leads the standings in any World Cup discipline with five events to go before the Finals.
    Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal tops the overall and giant slalom standings, and Sweden’s Jens Byggmark commands the slalom competition. Switzerland’s Marc Berthod has a good chance to clinch the super combined Cup next week at Kvitfjell, Norway, where the final speed events are also scheduled before the Finals. Two-time downhill World Cup champion Michael Walchhofer of Austria is just sixth in the downhill standings that are currently led by Switzerland’s Didier Cuche. American Bode Miller leads the super G standings, with Hermann Maier the top Austrian in fourth.   
    Interestingly enough, the Austrian women are aiming for a clean sweep on their side with Marlies Schild having clinched the slalom and super combined titles while also leading in the overall, Renate Goetschl leading in the speed events and Nicole Hosp in the giant slalom. If Austria’s men don’t make a late charge, it would be the first time since 1998 that the nation would not capture a single World Cup title on the men's tour.


    But Benjamin Raich is just 53 points back of Svindal in the overall chase, and he’s
 a multiple winner in GS at Kranjska Gora in his career. Raich has won the last two giant slaloms run on the steep Podkoren run, and his recent third place in slalom at Garmisch-Partenkirchen confirmed his improving form after a series of disappointing results at the World Championships in Sweden. The two-time Olympic champion only grabbed a silver medal in combined in Are, where he crashed in the giant slalom. He was “only” fourth in slalom. Two strong races in Slovenia, however, could propel him back atop the overall standings.
    Mario Matt, the new slalom world champion who just dominated the recent slalom race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, sits third in the slalom standings (just five points behind Raich and 25 back of Byggmark) and still has a good chance to garner a crystal globe in two weeks at Lenzerheide.
    Svindal, meanwhile, has never excelled in Kranjska Gora. The new downhill and giant slalom world champion couldn’t take advantage of the last three races in Germany to reinforce his lead. He only finished 16th and 19th in the two downhills and 20th in slalom.


    Finland’s Kalle Palander, who has not achieved any brilliant performance for a while, and Italy’s Massimiliano Blardone also have a chance to overtake Svindal in the giant slalom standings this weekend. Palander is only 20 points back and Blardone 26. 
Both of them have already reached the podium in the demanding Podkoren giant slalom race, which was also won twice by the unpredictable Bode Miller in 2003 and 2004. Miller is currently fourth in the overall standings and has a good chance of moving up to third or second place with a decent end of the season, as happened last year.   
    Cuche, third in the overall standings and 70 points behind Svindal, also has a fair chance of fighting for the big crystal globe in the coming weeks if he backs up his progress in giant slalom this weekend after earning a bronze in the event at Are last month.
 With four speed events and two giant slaloms left on the World Cup program, Cuche’s potential can’t be neglected. He has been quite consistent so far in all his specialties.

    Not competing this year at Kranjska Gora is Maier, third here in 2005. The skier from Flachau is suffering from a frozen big toe on his left foot since Are. He decided to take a break to rest and regroup after a disappointing performance in Germany last weekend when he finished in the mid-20s in both downhill races. Maier is seeking to regain some momentum in Kvitfjell, where he has won five races in recent years. The Herminator hasn't won a single race so far this season.