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Park
City, men’s Giant Slalom
3rd win for Michael von Grünigen
Switzerland’s
Michael von Grünigen set
kind of a record here in Park
City in winning for the third
time the almost “classical”
US Opening race after an impressive
second run.
The 33-year-old veteran beat
by 28/100 of a second another
“oldie” – Austria’s
Christian Mayer (30 years old)
while Benjamin Raich, the 2001
slalom World Cup champion was
3rd a 31/100 – only 1/100
ahead of Italy’s Massimiliano
Blardone.
America’s Erik Schlopy,
4th here two years ago, also
achieved a nice comeback in
finishing 5th despite his startnumber
41. One of the best GS skiers
in 2001, he lost his momentum
last season after suffering
a strong attack of mononucleosis
at the beginning of the 2001
winter.
The defending Overall World
Cup champion, Stephan Eberharter,
didn’t manage to successfully
defend his lead after his victory
from Soelden despite dominating
the first run. The 33-year-old
Tyrolian who won gold here last
February dropped to 8th place
after a slower 2nd run in which
he lost over a full second on
Von Grünigen, the new Overall
leader now.
This race was also marked by
the misfortune of USA’s
Bode Miller, one of the favorites,
who lost a ski on his way down
the course. He was lucky enough
to remain on one ski and staying
out of trouble. Last week, Bode
underwent a small arthroscopic
surgery at his left knee injured
in February 2001 in Dr. Steadman’s
clinic at Vail and he only decided
in the last moment to enter
the race.
Not at the start of the first
run Norway’s Lasse Kjus,
3rd here at the Olympics –
he who suffers once more a strong
attack of flue while his teammate
Kjetil Aamodt crashed out of
the course during his first
run.
21 victories for “Mike”
Von
Grünigen won his 21st World
Cup race on the C.B.’s
run – almost ten years
after his first triumph in Veysonnaz
in January 1993. The phenomenal
skier from Schoenried accumulated
an impressive series of victories
on almost all the countries
he raced in – among them
the major “Classics”
as Adelboden, Val d’Isère,
Alta Badia, Kranjska Gora. Only
Sweden’s Superstar Ingemar
Stenmark won more GS races than
him during his fantastic career
– a total of 40 from 1975
to 1989 including 15 in a row
from March 1978 to February
1980!
“It’s good to celebrate
such an early victory, it gives
me great confidence for the
rest of the season” he
said after the race.
“I was happy to reach the
podium at Soelden because I
knew I was in good shape. I
like this slope here a lot,
it’s quite challenging
especially when the course is
rough as this afternoon”.
“This is my last season
and I aim to end my career at
the top with a fourth World
Cup title and a third gold medal
in St Moritz in front of my
home crowd. Last spring, he
was operated at my injured shoulder
and I felt so good afterwards
that I decided to go on for
a last year”.
“But this is it –
I have three boys and a wonderful
wife waiting on me at
home”.
Since January 1992, Mike has
finished all his World Cup Giant
Slalom he entered – also
a remarkable accomplishment
at his credit!
Two more daddies at the top!
Michael
was not the only “daddy”
who did well in that race –
Mayer and Nyberg too have kids
waiting on them at home. Mayer
explained after the race how
important his family was in
recent months when he suffered
a bad infection at his glands
pushing him almost out of the
Austrian team.
“It was really hard for
me because I felt so weak in
the last two years without understanding
why” he said.
“Finally the doctors found
out the problem and I had to
swallow tons of antibiotics
during several weeks. I gained
over ten kilos and only a few
people continued to believe
in me – among them my wife!
So I dedicate her this success
which is worth a victory”.
The 1994 GS World Cup champion
was for years the best specialist
in his team winning a total
of eight GS races and one Super-G.
He didn’t reach the podium
since his last victory in Kranjska
Gora in March 2000!
The next men’s race is
planned for Sunday – the
first slalom of the season.
Bode Miller will try hard to
come back – but Ivica Kostelic
will do his best to remain unbeaten
after his last victory at Flachau
in March.
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