Kjus leads veteran bonanza
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Published 04/12/2004 at 21:37 GMT
The old guard shone on Saturday at Beaver Creek, Colorado, with Norway's veteran Lasse Kjus taking the men's Giant Slalom in a combined time of 2:29.82. Austria's Hermann Maier finished 0.49 seconds back and compatriot Benjamin Raich was third 0.64 behin
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Norwegian Lasse Kjus won a World Cup giant slalom for the first time in eight years on Saturday.
The 33-year-old, a former world and Olympic champion and a circuit regular since 1990, beat Austria's Hermann Maier into second place on a great day for Alpine skiing's old guard in the Colorado Rockies.
Austrian Benjamin Raich finished third.
Maier, who celebrates his 32nd birthday on Tuesday, signalled a return to form after the disappointment of finishing 10th in Friday's downhill on the Birds of Prey piste.
Kjus's combined winning time of two minutes 29.82 seconds was a hefty 0.45 faster than Maier, who had been only seventh after a tricky first leg that ended American Bode Miller's hopes of a fifth win in six races.
Miller, winner of the previous day's downhill and also the season-opening giant in Soelden, Austria, crashed out early in the first leg.
So too did compatriot Daron Rahlves, runner up in the downhill.
Kjus had not won a top level giant slalom since the world championships in nearby Vail in 1999. His only previous World Cup giant slalom win was eight years ago in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
Kjus and Miller lead the giant slalom world standings jointly with 100 points each.
Miller leads the overall championship with 480 points.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement