Goergl nets maiden WC win
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ByEurosport
Published 02/12/2004 at 17:48 GMT
Austria's Stephan Goergl bagged his maiden World Cup win, stalling the US runaway train Bode Miller in the men's Super-G at Beaver Creek on Friday. Mario Scheiber, also of Austria, finished in third, but there was no place on the podium for last year's WC
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
America's Bode Miller was denied the chance to take an unprecedented four-from-four by a 26-year-old Austrian who had yet to leave his mark on the World Cup scene before this Friday's Super-G.
The win was Stephan Goergl's first ever World Cup triumph, his previous bests being two seventh spots last season.
Goergl, son of former Olympic skier Traudl Hecher, who won bronze at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics, said he could hardly believe his success.
"Everyone was expecting Bode Miller to win. To finish ahead of him and in front of his own home crowd is really something."
On the slope named the Birds of Prey Goergl seemed relaxed and at ease where so many others seemed tense and withdrawn.
The Austrian took his gates well, and only seemed in trouble once, almost catching an edge on the lip immediately after the notorious 'Great Eagle' jump on the decent into the 'Abyss'.
"I set myself goals in the starting hut. They were to be smooth and relaxed. The whole way down I just felt incredible," he beamed.
Goergl - the eleventh starter from the blocks - overtook fellow compatriot Mario Scheiber in the hot-seat with a time of 1:13.40.
Scheiber, who had taken the early lead with a run of 1:13.72, did enough for a place on the podium, finishing an impressive third.
Sandwiched between the two Austrians was man-of-the-moment, and increasingly legend-like bird of prey himself, Bode Miller.
The American speed-merchant was eighteenth off the start block and began his run with the gusto and risk-taking that we have become so acquainted with of late.
But he never looked in control of his destiny, giving an edgy, sometimes languid impression as he powered past the gates at top-speed, overshooting most notably early on after the second bend.
"I had an excellent upper part but I made a big mistake. I lost my rhythm and I needed until the last part of the course to get it back," Miller, 28, said.
"Let's be honest though, you can't win all the time...I'm really happy with my second place. If I had not made that mistake the win would have been in my hands."
Miller's incredible early season run may well have been curtailed by gutsy Goergl but the American will certainly be comforted by yet another disappointing effort from rival Hermann Maier.
Austria's 2003 World Cup champion was distinctively off the pace from start to finish, posting only the eighth best time of 1:14.13.
"The winter isn't over yet," the Herminator had said before the event.
That may be the case, but by the looks of things neither is Maier's hibernation.
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