Can the Superteam do it?

ByEurosport

Published 18/02/2006 at 09:02 GMT

The Austrians have had men on every super-G podium this season, but after being upset in the first two events can the Uber-team win their first Turin gold? A flu-struck Hermann Maier wears bib No. 30 and leads the favourites in his favourite contest.

Maier, a former world and Olympic champion in the discipline, was still feeling sick as of Friday after spending some time at home recovering from influenza.

"It's better now, I was at home and got some rest but the most important thing was coming down from the altitude and the dust," he told reporters.

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Torino 2006 USA Austria Miller Maier

Image credit: dpa

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Wind could play a factor in Saturday's race, as Friday's downhill portion of the women's combined was postponed until Saturday at 14:00 CET due to poor weather conditions and wind. Saturday morning's weather report had winds gusting at 2.1 m/s.

"I've got certain problems with the air but it's better than on Sunday. I feel a bit under the weather, as always...I haven't fully recovered," said Maier, the winner of the prestigious Kitzbuehel super-G where he grabbed his only World Cup victory in the event this season.

In Sunday's men's downhill Maier finished sixth, and said that breathing problems had hindered his race.

France's Antoine Deneriaz took a shock victory in the discipline, and Michael Walchhofer took silver to claim the best men's alpine medal for the Austrians in two events.

Benjamin Raich, who was on the verge of gold in the combined event before skiing out in his final run and assuring victory for unheralded American Ted Ligety, replaced Walchhofer as the fourth Austrian on the super-G team.

The world No. 1, Raich took bronze in the super-G at the last World Championships and finished second earlier this season at Lake Louise in the super-G.

He skis 24th on Saturday two spots in front of teammate Hannes Reichelt, who has podiumed twice this World Cup season winning at Beaver Creek.

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Torino 2006 Combined Men Benjamin Raich

Image credit: Reuters

Christoph Gruber, winner of the last World Cup super-G prior to the Olympics at Garmisch, rounds out the Austrian squad and wears bib No. 21.

If anyone is going to dethrone the Austrians look to American challengers Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller, or the Norwegians Aksel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Andre Aamodt, the defending Olympic champion.

Though with all the surprises the men's contests have seen so far, an upset could be in order again on Saturday.

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