Rahlves Survives Tricky Course to Get Second Downhill Victory

Daron Rahlves is halfway to his goal of winning a ski grand slam this season. As a bonus, he will begin 2006 as the overall leader in the World Cup standings.

Rahlves, of Sugar Bowl, Calif., got his second World Cup downhill victory of the season Thursday at Bormio, Italy, overtaking the time recorded by Austria’s Fritz Strobl and winning in 1 minute 57.68 seconds. Rahlves, who achieved his first goal when he won the Birds of Prey downhill in Beaver Creek, Colo., earlier this month, battled a tricky course that was part light and part shadow as he leaped from fifth in the overall standings to first, with 489 points.

U.S. teammate Bode Miller of Bretton Woods, N.H., last season’s overall winner, finished ninth at Bormio and is second in the overall standings with 471 points.

“I like the risk factor,� Rahlves said of the Stelvio course, which ensnared one of the forerunners in a bad crash and caused Austrian Hans Grugger to crash and injure a hip. “This course demands a lot. It’s unfortunate that some guys got hurt, but that’s ski racing. It wakes you up a bit at the start....

“I’m just enjoying the moment. This was a big day, and it was nicely put together. Bormio is one of those places where it’s nice to walk away on this hill after having a great run.�

Rahlves, who stood on the podium with two fingers in the air to symbolize his success, has said he also wanted to win at the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Jan. 21 and the Olympic downhill, to be held on Feb. 12. He showed every sign on Thursday that he’s capable of his grand ambition as he rode new skis to a strong finish.

According to the U.S. Ski team website, he led by five-hundredths of a second at the first interval, .08 at the second, .40 at the third, .39 at the fourth, .25 at the fifth and .32 at the finish. Strobl’s time was 1:58.00, keeping him first in the World Cup downhill standings. Tobias Gruenenfelder of Switzerland was third in 1:58.03, with Michael Walchhofer of Austria fourth in 1:58.04 and Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein fifth in 1:58.19.

“Strobl’s a tough guy on this hill. He skied really smooth too, and that’s what it takes [because] there are so many bumps and big turns,� Rahlves said.

Miller injured his face when he fell at the top of the course during a training run Wednesday and said he hasn’t been as sharp as he’d like. “There’s been no time for training,� he told reporters in Bormio. “Hopefully, I can take it easy this next week.�

The men’s circuit takes a New Year’s break and will resume Jan. 7-8 at Adelboden, Switzerland, with giant slalom and slalom races.

OLN is scheduled to show the Bormio race on Sunday as part of its 10 Weeks to Torino series.