Finn hoping to bounce back

"I haven't had as good a season as last year, but now I don't want to look back," Poutiainen told Eurosport ahead of Wednesday's Olympic slalom. "I'm concentrated on these races and I want to really go for it."

Besides her World Cup slalom crown last year, the 25-year-old from Rovaniemi took silver medals in both the slalom and giant slalom at the 2005 World Championships in San Sicario.

This season, however, has told a different story, with Poutiainen languishing in sixth place in the World Cup slalom standings on a paltry 189 points. According to Eurosport commentator John Clark, this can be explained, in part, to Poutiainen's desire to branch out beyond being simply a technical expert.

Clark refuses to rule out a slalom medal for Finland's Tanja Poutiainen despite his claim that "she has seemed to lose focus a little this year, maybe in her attempts at having a higher appreciation in the speed disciplines."

Incidentally, the five skiers ahead of Poutiainen in the World Cup standings occupied the top five places in the combined slalom earlier this week, with Austria's Marlies Schild blitzing both runs. An ill Janica Kostelic took the combined silver, with Kathrin Zettle, the Austrian youngster, collecting the bronze. Fourth and fifth respectively were Anja Paerson - the Swede dismayed with her two-bronze return so far in Turin - and another Austrian, Nicole Hosp.

"For sure, Kostelic and Paerson are the sure favourites for the technical disciplines," said Poutiainen. "There is also Marlies Schild, who is very good. In fact, there are plenty of racers who have a chance to win a medal. So we'll see what happens."

Laure Pequegnot, the 2002 Olympic slalom silver medallist, cannot be forgotten either, even if the Frenchwoman trails Poutiainen in the World Cup standings by two points.

The first skier out of the gates for the 14:45 CET first run will be Paerson, followed by Kostelic, the reigning champion. The Croatian is in search of her third medal in the Games, which will put her all-time total up to a record-breaking seven medals.

With a gold and a silver already to her name, Kostelic had some advice for her friend and rival Paerson, ostensibly underachieving with her bronze double.

"She's having a hard time, but she is still young and she can win whatever she wants," said Kostelic. "I told her that she needs not to take too seriously what happens. She needs to be more relaxed and she said that she will follow my suggestion."

Hosp will start in third, Schild in fourth and Poutiainen in fifth, one place in front of outside hope Kristina Koznick of the USA.