Madonna di Campiglio

A difficult win for Ivica Kostelic

Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic won his seventh World Cup slalom in Madonna di Campiglio but he could not enjoy his success – during his second run, the reigning slalom World Champion injured himself once more at his right knee. He walked with great difficulties out of the finish area and he fears that his season is over even before it really started.

Thanks to his clear best time in that run, the skier from Zagreb beat Italy’s Giorgio Rocca by 31/100 of a second while Austria’s Manfred Pranger was 3rd with a delay of 42/100.

Giorgio Rocca in the lead

Rocca took the lead in the slalom standings as Finland’s Kalle Palander, the winner in Park City, failed to end his second run. Palander already lost much time in the first leg dominated by Pranger.

USA’s Bode Miller also struggled in that race – the double World Champion lost his balance in the first run and almost crashed out of the course. He was able to get back on his skis but he lost too much time to qualify for the second run. His team-mate Chip Knight was the best US skier in 10th place – an excellent performance for the American, only 29th in the first leg.

This classical night race was also marked by the comeback on Scotland’s Alain Baxter, 11th after an excellent second run. It’s his best performance since his superb 2002 season.

Germany’s Felix Neureuther, the son of Christian Neureuther, one of the best slalom skiers on the World Cup Tour in the 1970’s, scored his best result ever with his 8th place. He started the race in 44th position. His team-mate Alois Vogel, who wore bib 45, was a encouraging 16th .

Bad luck for Ivica

6th after the first run, Ivica fought hard in the beginning of the second run to improve his standing. Unfortunately, he felt a pop at his right knee after leaning briefly back after a turn but kept on fighting his way down the “Canalone Miramonti” slope. “I didn’t feel any pain but I knew immediately that I had a serious problem” he explained afterwards.

“I took a lot of risks afterwards because I thought that it could well be my last race this season. I felt much pain in the finish area when I tried to walk. I’m afraid to have hurt my meniscus or a ligament. We will check the knee tomorrow – I can only hope that the M.R.I. test will not be too bad”.

In past years, Ivica was often injured at his two knees. He didn’t finish a season healthy from 1998 to 2001. But he immediately found back his best level in November 2001 after returning on snow after a smooth summer. He won his first slalom in Aspen after starting in 64th position. Four months later, he clinched the slalom World Cup title after a fierce battle against Bode Miller.

In 2003, he captured gold at St Moritz a day after the triumph of his sister Janica in the same event yet he could not retain his World Cup title which he lost to Kalle Palander in the last races.

Rocca on a roll

Giorgio Rocca was the other hero of the evening – the bronze medallist from St Moritz, 4th in Park City, tried very hard to celebrate his first victory on home soil. “I gave what I had in me, I was really carried by the great crowd and my fans” he said. “This is a big race for an Italian skier and I was very motivated. This 2nd place is not bad at all since I was only 4th in the first run. I’m also very excited about my lead in the slalom World Cup standings. I never wore the red jersey – it’s a great night for me”.
“My goal this winter was to be as consistent as possible and reach a lot of podiums. I have never done so well in the early part of the season. I’m very confident because I still feel able to improve a lot. I’m looking forward for the January races and the big competitions as Kitzbühel and Schladming”.

But Giorgio in not only focusing on his slalom – at the end of the month, he plans to train downhill and be a fore-runner in Bormio during the World Cup event there. “I plan to enter the combined at the 2005 World Championships so I need to get used to this slope”, he added.

The next men’s races are scheduled for the end of this week in Val Gardena where a Super-G and a downhill will take place on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday the World Cup Tour returns to Alta Badia for another giant slalom race.

Patrick Lang