Dalcin takes shock victory

The 29-year-old skier, whose previous best result was second place in a super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2004, started sixth and crossed the line with a time of one minute 56.37 seconds.

The course deteriorated under bright sunshine, which meant none of the favourites could match his time.

Canada's Erik Guay was second on a bumpy Oreiller-Killy piste in 1:56.63 with compatriot Manuel Osborne-Paradis, second in the opening downhill of the season in Lake Louise, finishing third in 1:56.69.

Yannick Bertrand played his part in an impressive overall performance from the French team with fourth place in 1:56.74, his best World Cup result.

American Bode Miller, the downhill world champion and overall World Cup winner in 2005, failed to finish after struggling to make a turn and losing his balance.

World Cup downhill leader Didier Cuche of Switzerland, who was hoping for a breakthrough win after finishing second four times out of the six previous downhills staged this winter, had to be content with joint 10th place.

Austria's Michael Walchhofer, the winner of two downhills this winter, ended out of the top 20 after an error-ridden run.

Olympic downhill champion Antoine Deneriaz of France, who was returning from a three-week break eager to bounce back after a disastrous start to the season, also failed to enter the top 20.

"I knew starting early was an advantage and I made the most of it," Dalcin said after becoming the first Frenchman to win a downhill here since Luc Alphand in 1995.

"Then it was a long, long wait. I thought I would finish 10th again (like in Wengen last weekend) but I certainly didn't expect this. It's just fantastic."