Tomba backs Rocca

Despite his weakness in the downhill discipline, Rocca, the run-away leader in this year's slalom world cup competition, is amongst the favourites for the combined event, which involves a shortened downhill run and two slalom runs.

Having won the first five slalom events of the season with aplomb, and taken part in all the downhill training sessions despite not competing in Sunday's race, the 30-year-old will feel the nature of the combined event is very much in his favour.

But Tomba warned that anything can happen, citing the example of Antoine Deneriaz' shock win on Sunday in the men's downhill. The Frenchman, wearing the unfavoured bib number 30, produced a stunning display of prodigious, aggressive skiing to take a whole 0.72 seconds of his nearest rival.

"I don't like to make predictions," the gregarious Italian said once his friend Rocca was out of earshot. "The Olympics are open for everybody - look at the men's downhill! [Austria's Michael] Walchhofer was almost convinced that he had won, but you need just one person and you loose a medal."

Tomba also highlighted the difficulty of the slalom course at Sestriere: "It's really difficult and very frozen. The most important is to get a quick start because you begin at 2200 metres and it's a very long slalom.

"But it's great, it reminds me of my first victories."

Meanwhile, Austria's Benjamin Raich is feeling on top form as he enters the combined event for which he is one of the top challengers. Raich, who leads the overall world cup standings by over 200 points, told Eurosport: "I am mentally ready. Downhill training was good, everything seems fine. The course is good. I like the descent and it's a slope that I know well."

Asked about his ambitions for Tuesday's event he underlined that he had already performed admirably in this year's super-combined world cup events.

"I have won three times," said the 27-year-old, "so it will be my aim to be on top of the podium. But it won't be easy."