Rocca: Last chance

Rocca has been in blistering form on the World Cup circuit, winning the first five slalom events at a canter and in doing so all but tying up the World Cup crown before the season's main event.

But his rivals will be aware that since January, Rocca has been less consistent, and twice consecutively crashed out of slalom events. In last week's combined event the Italian under-performed over the two slalom runs, and finished fifth, seven hundredths of a second off the podium.

Rocca actually escaped from Sestières after the latest set back to concentrate on personal training away from the spotlight and the constant pressure heaped upon him by the Italian supporters and press. He will see on Saturday whether or not this tactic has worked.

Unexpected winner in the combined was the unheralded American youngster Ted Ligety who recorded the runaway best time in the first slalom run of the event. The 21-year-old has high expectations for Saturday's slalom and told Eurosport recently that he was "not racing to finish second".

Austria's Benni Raich will, of course, provide sturdy opposition and will look to add to his gold medal in the giant slalom. Having finished third in Salt Lake City, Raich will no doubt hope to go two medals better in Turin.

There is less competition following the withdrawal of defending champion Jean-Pierre Vidal of France, but still an illustrious list of outsiders. They include the USA's Bode Miller who will look to end a terrible fortnight on a high after hitherto failing to net a medal in all four disciplines in which he has competed.

After Tanja Poutiainen won Finland's first ever Alpine medal in Friday's giant slalom, compatriot Kalle Palender will be hoping to make it a double for the Scandinavian country by making the podium.

Torino 2006 Multiplex LIVE