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Ivica Kostelić (CRO)
Silvan Zurbriggen (SUI), Ivica Kostelić (CRO), Benjamin Raich (AUT)
Kathrin Hölzl (GER)
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Racing: Yellow is the colour of success: Kostelić Hahnenkamm winner, Hölzl leading again in Giant Slalom World Cup
Kostelić on edge in the Combined
After today's results in Kitzbühel Ivica Kostelić can now call himself a Hahnenkamm winner. The Slalom on the Ganslern slope was a "brutal mental challenge" for him. With the Combined race at the back of his mind, the Croatian racer went for a somewhat cautious approach: "It's really not that easy, you keep thinking to yourself, please don't ski out, please let me make it to the finish!" With 60 per cent, Kostelić risked only a little and, therefore, no premature exit from the race. A "safe run" was sufficient for seventh place in the Slalom, earning the all-rounder victory in the Combined. Kostelić paved the way to his success in the Downhill race on the previous day, where he also took everyone by surprise with a sensational (and likewise) seventh place. Manfred Mölgg (ITA), on the other hand, risked too much. After second place in the first run he made a serious mistake in the second. Trailing by almost six seconds, this saw him move down to 22nd place.
Kostelić's performance will be "back to what you would expect" at the Night Race in Schladming: "I'll be skiing a faster race again there, no matter what!"
Hölzl third in Cortina
Somewhat in the shadow of all the Kitzbühel mania, our women's team put in a strong performance in today's World Cup Giant Slalom. Kathrin Hölzl's (GER) third place in Cortina d'Ampezzo was enough for her to regain the lead in the Giant Slalom standings. Leading Kathrin Zettel (AUT) by 26 points means there will be a nail-biting last race at the finals in Garmisch Partenkirchen. However, the 26-year-old was not completely satisfied with her performance. "I didn't really ski that well. I had problems with the snow here. On the whole though I'm in good form, as my performances in training show," says Hölzl, feeling confident about the Olympics.
The other Fischer ladies: 6th Denise Karbon, 13th Nicole Gius (both ITA). Regrettably, young racer Lena Dürr from Germany skied out in the second leg.
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