Val d'Isere: Dalcin, 2 Canadians pull upset in DH
Frenchman Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin thrilled the home fans by winning a World Cup downhill Saturday, with two Canadians joining him on the podium in a surprising race.
Dalcin, 29, won for the first time in his World Cup career in 1 minute, 56.37 seconds, with Erik Guay second, .26 back, and teammate Manuel Osborne-Paradis third, .32 off the winning pace.
American Bode Miller skied off-course midway through the race and lost valuable points in the chase for the overall title. In fact, all of the late contenders struggled, with Marco Buechel, skiing 29th, the highest-placing big threat, finishing seventh.
VAL D'ISERE, France — Frenchman Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin thrilled the home fans by winning a World Cup downhill Saturday, with two Canadians joining him on the podium in a surprising race.
Dalcin, 29, won for the first time in his World Cup career in 1 minute, 56.37 seconds, with Erik Guay second, .26 back, and teammate Manuel Osborne-Paradis third, .32 off the winning pace.
American Bode Miller skied off-course midway through the race and lost valuable points in the chase for the overall title. In fact, all of the late contenders struggled, with Marco Buechel, skiing 29th, the highest-placing big threat, finishing seventh.
Unofficially, Scott Macartney was 19th and Marco Sullivan 20th while Steven Nyman did not finish. Defending downhill champ Michael Walchhofer of Austria was a distant 21st.
Dalcin's previous best was second at Garmisch in a 2004 super G. It is his eighth career top 10, with his previous best result in downhill a seventh at Bormio in 2005. ''The main thing is that I won and I'm super happy,'' Dalcin said.
He said being among the first to go down the Oreiller-Killy course probably favored him.
''I felt the skis were really fast,'' Dalcin said. ''I did a great downhill and profited from my starting position.
''The piste started to warm up a bit and that was to my advantage because I went earlier. But I did a great race and I have the ability to be out in front.''
On the top section of the course, Miller misjudged a turn, went inside on his skis and toppled over. Miller refused to talk about his crash, but was in constant discussion with U.S. Ski Team officials over the radio, and teammates at the bottom of the course, as he tried to fathom why he fell.
''It wasn't even a hard turn,'' Miller said.
Other Americans were JJ Johnson in 38th, Christopher Beckmann in 41st and Erik Fischer in 43rd.
Dalcin's win ended a 12-year winless streak for French skiers in downhill at Val d'Isere, with Luc Alphand securing the last success in 1995.'
'I always wondered what I would feel [after a win],'' Dalcin said. ''When it happens, it's a strong feeling. It's a relief to tell yourself that, when you look at the results, your name will be next to the number one.''
Last weekend, Dalcin was 10th in downhill at Wengen, Switzerland.
''I train hard, I'm starting to have a lot of experience, I really want to succeed,'' Dalcin said. ''When you put everything in its place … you are talented, you have the potential, you do all you can … then that [victory] is what happens.''
Olympic downhill champion Antoine Deneriaz believes his countryman's win is not a one-off success.
''It's the first, but it won't be the last,'' Deneriaz said. ''It's great, he deserves it.''
Guay did not consider the course particularly hard, but said the race was wide-open. ''The easiest courses are the hardest ones to win,'' Guay said. ''Because everybody knows how to ski faster and everybody knows how to attack. You have to be a great glider here.''
Osborne-Paradis said, ''It was a good run, but there were a few spots where I stepped on my ski."
Tactical errors for U.S.
"Nice day for France and Canada, but tough day, some bad luck for our guys," said U.S. head coach Phil McNichol. "I'm surprised they pulled it off with such good conditions. Nice, sunny day and right around zero [Celsius, 32 F] after soggy, rainy day yesterday and no second training run … but they did a good job.
"Bode and Steven made tactical errors, but 'Mac' and 'Sully' were only a half-second out of the top 10, which was pretty impressive. We had only one training run and that was in minimal conditions … and then we had a training run at the top this morning — from the start to where we ran Thursday, so we could race from the top. So," he said, "it was a little bit of a two-step, kind of like what we did in Kitzbühel for the Hahnenkamm a couple of years ago.
"I thought JJ was going to break in there; he'd had a good training run, but it wasn't to be. And the young guys did a good job for their minimal time on the course. They hung in there, which is good for them."
The men race a super combined — a downhill and one run of slalom — Sunday, then head to Kitzbühel for the 67th Hahnenkamm Race Weekend.
Sweden's Olsson injured
Hans Olsson of Sweden was taken to the hospital with facial injuries after a fall at the World Cup downhill. A race official said Olsson likely had fractured his nose with burns on the face. The skier was fully conscious and able to talk after falling on the Oreiller-Killy course, the official said.
Olsson is undergoing X-rays at a hospital in nearby Moutiers.
— The Associated Press and USSA contributed to this report
THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Men's downhill, Val d'Isere, France, Jan. 20, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Dalcin, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Guay, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Osborne-Paradis, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Bertrand, Dynastar/Lange/Look
5 Scheiber, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Buder, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
7 Buechel, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
7 Fill, Dynastar/Lange/Look
9 Kernen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Cuche, Head/Head/Tyrolia
10 Defago, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
Men's downhill, Val d'Isere, France, Jan. 20, 2007. … It is the 21st of 38 originally scheduled men's World Cup events. … It is the seventh of 11 scheduled downhills. … The race was moved from Chamonix along with a super combined scheduled tomorrow due to warm weather. … It is the 59th World Cup downhill held at Val d'Isere.
It is the first World Cup win for Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin. … His previous best had been a second in SG at Garmisch Feb. 1, 2004. … He is the first Frenchman to win at Val d'Isere since Luc Alphand won a two-run downhill Dec. 9, 1995. … Patrick Russel in GS in 1970 is the only other French male to win at the traditional French site.
It is the fourth s
econd-place finish and fifth career podium for Erik Guay. … It is his first podium of the season.
It is the second career podium and second of the season for Manuel Osborne-Paradis. … He was also second at Lake Louise Nov. 25. … It is the first two-Canadian Cup podium since Genevieve Simard was second and Allison Forsyth third in GS at Santa Catrina Jan. 8, 2005. … For Canadian men since Ed Podvinsky and Cary Mullen went 1-2 in a two-run DH at Saalbach Jan. 6, 1994.
It is the eighth-best career result for Scott Macartney. … Second best of the season after an eighth at Beaver Creek DH. … It is the 14th-best career result for Marco Sullivan. … Fifth best of the season. … It is the 35th career scoring result for Francois Bourque. … 12th of the season.
Aksel Lund Svindal, (12th in race), maintains the World Cup overall standings lead 725-677 over Didier Cuche (10th in race). … Bode Miller (DNF) is third overall at 640. … Cuche leads the downhill standings 436-329 over Marco Buechel (seventh in race) with Peter Fill (tied for seventh in race) third at 318. … Miller is the top American in the DH standings in fifth at 270. … Winning margin is .26. … Top 17 skiers are within a second of the winner. … Top 29 within two seconds. … seventh, 10th and 12th placings were ties.
Val d'Isere men's World Cup downhill results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | FIS Points |
1 | 6 | 191116 | DALCIN Pierre-Emmanuel | 1977 | FRA | 1:56.37 | 0.00 |
2 | 17 | 102263 | GUAY Erik | 1981 | CAN | 1:56.63 | 3.02 |
3 | 16 | 102899 | OSBORNE-PARADIS Manuel | 1984 | CAN | 1:56.69 | 3.71 |
4 | 5 | 191591 | BERTRAND Yannick | 1980 | FRA | 1:56.74 | 4.29 |
5 | 22 | 51005 | SCHEIBER Mario | 1983 | AUT | 1:56.77 | 4.64 |
6 | 11 | 50695 | BUDER Andreas | 1979 | AUT | 1:56.86 | 5.68 |
7 | 29 | 350032 | BUECHEL Marco | 1971 | LIE | 1:56.90 | 6.15 |
7 | 25 | 292455 | FILL Peter | 1982 | ITA | 1:56.90 | 6.15 |
9 | 24 | 510478 | KERNEN Bruno | 1972 | SUI | 1:57.05 | 7.89 |
10 | 28 | 510030 | CUCHE Didier | 1974 | SUI | 1:57.09 | 8.35 |
10 | 15 | 510727 | DEFAGO Didier | 1977 | SUI | 1:57.09 | 8.35 |
12 | 20 | 421328 | SVINDAL Aksel Lund | 1982 | NOR | 1:57.11 | 8.58 |
12 | 12 | 50833 | GRUGGER Hans | 1981 | AUT | 1:57.11 | 8.58 |
14 | 8 | 290998 | STAUDACHER Patrick | 1980 | ITA | 1:57.12 | 8.70 |
15 | 26 | 50182 | STROBL Fritz | 1972 | AUT | 1:57.18 | 9.40 |
16 | 23 | 50423 | MAIER Hermann | 1972 | AUT | 1:57.28 | 10.56 |
17 | 18 | 510767 | HOFFMANN Ambrosi | 1977 | SUI | 1:57.32 | 11.02 |
18 | 13 | 560332 | JERMAN Andrej | 1978 | SLO | 1:57.47 | 12.76 |
19 | 3 | 532490 | MACARTNEY Scott | 1978 | USA | 1:57.54 | 13.57 |
20 | 10 | 533131 | SULLIVAN Marco | 1980 | USA | 1:57.55 | 13.69 |
21 | 30 | 50041 | WALCHHOFER Michael | 1975 | AUT | 1:57.62 | 14.50 |
22 | 7 | 190930 | DENERIAZ Antoine | 1976 | FRA | 1:57.69 | 15.31 |
23 | 9 | 291641 | SULZENBACHER Kurt | 1976 | ITA | 1:57.71 | 15.55 |
24 | 37 | 191415 | BOTTOLLIER-LASQUIN Marc | 1979 | FRA | 1:57.84 | 17.05 |
25 | 2 | 220228 | MICKEL Finlay | 1977 | GBR | 1:57.89 | 17.63 |
26 | 34 | 500150 | JAERBYN Patrik | 1969 | SWE | 1:58.04 | 19.37 |
27 | 36 | 50858 | STREITBERGER Georg | 1981 | AUT | 1:58.07 | 19.72 |
28 | 4 | 510747 | GRUENENFELDER Tobias | 1977 | SUI | 1:58.19 | 21.11 |
29 | 40 | 292514 | HEEL Werner | 1982 | ITA | 1:58.24 | 21.69 |
30 | 31 | 102814 | BOURQUE Francois | 1984 | CAN | 1:58.37 | 23.20 |
31 | 45 | 510890 | ZURBRIGGEN Silvan | 1981 | SUI | 1:58.47 | 24.36 |
32 | 44 | 420911 | SOLBAKKEN Bjarne | 1977 | NOR | 1:58.60 | 25.87 |
33 | 35 | 51215 | BAUMANN Romed | 1986 | AUT | 1:58.66 | 26.57 |
34 | 57 | 102271 | HUDEC Jan | 1981 | CAN | 1:58.88 | 29.12 |
35 | 42 | 293006 | INNERHOFER Christof | 1984 | ITA | 1:58.99 | 30.39 |
36 | 14 | 50625 | RAICH Benjamin | 1978 | AUT | 1:59.05 | 31.09 |
37 | 46 | 102873 | KUCERA John | 1984 | CAN | 1:59.30 | 33.99 |
38 | 39 | 532173 | JOHNSON Justin J | 1977 | USA | 1:59.33 | 34.34 |
39 | 38 | 561067 | PERKO Rok | 1985 | SLO | 1:59.36 | 34.69 |
40 | 49 | 191740 | CLAREY Johan | 1981 | FRA | 1:59.65 | 38.05 |
41 | 58 | 534698 | BECKMANN Christopher | 1986 | USA | 1:59.72 | 38.86 |
42 | 33 | 291399 | GIRARDI Walter | 1976 | ITA | 1:59.94 | 41.42 |
43 | 43 | 534939 | FISHER Erik | 1985 | USA | 1:59.95 | 41.53 |
44 | 59 | 191911 | NOCENTI Cyril | 1982 | FRA | 1:59.97 | 41.76 |
45 | 32 | 192746 | THEAUX Adrien | 1984 | FRA | 2:00.07 | 42.92 |
46 | 52 | 380260 | KOSTELIC Ivica | 1979 | CRO | 2:00.39 | 46.64 |
47 | 53 | 510969 | BONETTI Michael | 1982 | SUI | 2:00.43 | 47.10 |
48 | 48 | 201439 | STEHLE Johannes | 1981 | GER | 2:00.62 | 49.30 |
49 | 41 | 291116 | FATTORI Alessandro | 1973 | ITA | 2:00.95 | 53.13 |
50 | 56 | 103512 | FRISCH Jeffrey | 1984 | CAN | 2:01.02 | 53.94 |
51 | 62 | 150398 | BANK Ondrej | 1980 | CZE | 2:01.18 | 55.80 |
52 | 55 | 293141 | VARETTONI Silvano | 1984 | ITA | 2:01.19 | 55.92 |
53 | 51 | 50742 | REICHELT Hannes | 1980 | AUT | 2:01.25 | 56.61 |
54 | 68 | 421400 | MYHRE Lars Elton | 1984 | NOR | 2:01.52 | 59.74 |
55 | 61 | 290844 | DEFLORIAN Mirko | 1980 | ITA | 2:01.87 | 63.81 |
56 | 67 | 201811 | STECHERT Tobias | 1985 | GER | 2:02.23 | 67.98 |
57 | 69 | 220083 | BAXTER Noel | 1981 | GBR | 2:02.76 | 74.13 |
58 | 66 | 180449 | PELLINEN Jouni | 1983 | FIN | 2:02.81 | 74.71 |
59 | 70 | 480736 | HOROSHILOV Alexandr | 1984 | RUS | 2:03.71 | 85.15 |
60 | 65 | 110130 | GAYME Maui | 1983 | CHI | 2:04.45 | 93.74 |
61 | 71 | 20174 | VIDOSA Roger | 1984 | AND | 2:05.75 | 108.82 |
Did not start 1st run:
KEPPLER Stephan (GER)
Did not finish 1st run:
RAINER Niklas (SWE), POISSON David (FRA), SINE Gareth (CAN), BERTHOD Marc (SUI), HOFER Beni (SUI), OLSSON Hans (SWE), MILLER Bode (USA), NYMAN Steven (USA), KROELL Klaus (AUT)
World Cup downhill standings (after 7 races)
1. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 436.
2. Marco Buechel, Liechtenstein, 329.
3. Peter Fill, Italy, 318.
4. Michael Walchhofer, Austria, 296.
5. Bode Miller, United States, 270.
6. Mario Scheiber, Austria, 216.
7. Steven Nyman, United States, 208.
8. Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Canada, 196.
9. Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway, 170.
10. Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin, France, 169.
World Cup overall standings (after 21 races)
1. Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway, 725 points.
2. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 677.
3. Bode Miller, United States, 640.
4. Peter Fill, Italy, 570.
5. Benjamin Raich, Austria, 520.
6. Marco Buechel, Liechtenstein, 407.
7. Kalle Palander, Finland, 387.
8. Mario Scheiber, Austria, 377.
9. Michael Walchhofer, Austria, 374.
10. Didier Defago, Switzerland, 345.