Moelgg defies pain

Yet he produced one of the best performances of his life to win the slalom silver medal at the World Championships, Italy's third medal here.

He decided to take part only an hour before the race, having spent hours with a chiropractor when he was in traction until midnight.

The treatment continued on Saturday morning, including a massage while sprawled over a table in a cafe halfway down the slope.

After setting the sixth fastest time in the first leg Moelgg hobbled away for more manipulation and later came out flying to produce a scorching second run.

"The first few gates were a real struggle because of the pain but after that I was just concentrating on going as fast as I could," the 24-year-old Italian said.

"I'm so thankful to everybody who worked with me to get me out there because I was in a lot pain and it was difficult to even do a warm-up."

Moelgg, whose ski-racing sister Manuela also suffers from back trouble, has been trying to solve his injury problems since they surfaced in 2005.

A slalom specialist, he has had some solid results on the World Cup this season including a third place in Kitzbuehel despite spending more time with physiotherapists than skiing.

"I was in a lot of pain at the finish in Kitzbuehel," he said.

"It's been going on for three years, I don't know exactly what it is.

"It's hard to ski the way I want. This year it has been up and down but it has been very painful in the days leading up to this competition."

After Patrick Staudacher's shock gold medal in the men's super-G and Denise Karbon's bronze in giant slalom, the Italian team is buoyant going into Sunday's Nations Race finale.

"I was looking forward to taking part in the team event but I'll speak to the team captain and see how my back is doing,"

Moelgg said. "But I think Italy has done very well at these world championships."