KITZBUEHEL, Austria - Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Grange won the World Cup slalom here on Sunday to record his fourth win of the season.

France's Jean-Baptiste Grange slaloms past a pole on his way to take first place after the first leg of a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

The 23-year-old beat Sweden’s Jens Byggmark by 0.15sec over the two legs while Mario Matt of Austria took third, 0.52 adrift.

Grange, who has won three slaloms and a super-combined this season, was fastest over the first leg and managed to hold off a rampaging Byggmark, who won both slaloms here last term.

France's Jean-Baptiste Grange reacts at the finish area after his victory in a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

‘This is a huge moment for me, it really is exceptional,’ gushed Grange, who reinforced his lead in the slalom standings.

‘At the moment, everything is going really well. I am really confident, I am giving it my all and thus things are going well.’

Grange, who signalled his talent by taking bronze at the 2007 world championships, insisted, though, that he was not infallible.

‘I am not unbeatable, I also have my doubts like everybody else, but once I am on the course, I get going and do everything I can to win,’ said Grange, whose parents were high class skiers in the 1970s.

Grange, who joined compatriots Jean-Claude Killy, Jean-Noel Augert and Jean-Pierre Vidal in winning here, said he had fulfilled a pledge he made two years ago.

‘I was here when Jean-Pierre Vidal won in 2006. I said to myself that one day I would win here.’

Byggmark meanwhile admitted to feeling like boxing Grange’s ears when he knocked him off top spot.

Sweden's Jens Byggmark slaloms past a pole on his way to take fourth place after the first leg of a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

‘It’s always fun to ski here, but I’m disappointed I didn’t win,’ said the Swede, who scored his maiden World Cup wins in spectacular style when he won both slaloms here last year.

‘I felt like boxing with Grange when he pushed me off top spot! But he’s a great skier.’

Matt said that errors in the second leg had cost him first place.

Austria's Mario Matt slaloms past a pole on his way to take third place in a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

‘I’m happy with third place although I did have two mistakes in the deciding leg. Without that happening, I reckon I could have beaten Grange, but he skied really well today.’

American Bode Miller gave his country a reason to be cheerful, after a weekend which saw team-mate Scott Macartney hospitalised with bruising of the brain after a spectacular fall in the downhill, by taking the combined for his 28th career success.

Bode Miller of the U.S. skis during the men's World Cup slalom alpine skiing race in Kitzbuehel January 20, 2008. REUTERS/Dominic Ebenbichler (AUSTRIA)

Bode Miller won the combined title for the slalom and downhill Sunday, setting a U.S. record with his 28th World Cup victory. Miller finished 14th in the slalom after finishing second in Saturday's downhill race.

Bode Miller, of the Unites States, salutes his fans after a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Phil Mahre set the American record of 27 World Cup victories more than two decades ago.

"It's a nice record, something you dream about as a kid," the 30-year-old Miller said. "As a professional skier, you're more focussed on winning each individual race. Before the season, it was my target to break that record and it's a really good feeling if you reach your goals."

Austria’s Benjamin Raich went back to the top of the overall World Cup standings after recording a second place in the combined and seventh in the slalom.

American Ted Ligety, who faced a 0.74-second deficit, started fast in his second run but lost control of a ski at the bumpy upper part of the course. He finished eighth.

Ted Ligety, of the United States, slaloms past a pole on his way to take eight place in a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

"That's an OK result for me," Ligety said. "Grange is on fire these days. He is invincible."

Grange won a slalom in Alta Badia, Italy, in December and a super-combi and a slalom race in Wengen, Switzerland, last week, and extended his lead in the slalom standings in front of Raich.

The men's World Cup circuit continues Tuesday with a night slalom in Schladming, Austria.

AFP & AP
20 January 2008

Kalle Palander of Finland passes a pole during the men's World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel January 20, 2008. REUTERS/Michael Leckel (AUSTRIA)

Austria's ski legend Toni Sailer reacts during the Alpine skiing men's World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Austria's Mario Matt skis during the men's World Cup slalom alpine skiing race in Kitzbuehel January 20, 2008. REUTERS/Dominic Ebenbichler (AUSTRIA)

France's Jean-Baptiste Grange, center, the winner, is flanked on podium by runnerup Jens Byggmark, left, of Sweden, and third placed Mario Matt, of Austria, after a men's ski World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Benjamin Raich, Bode Miller of the U.S., Ivica Kostelic of Croatia and Austria's Rainer Schoenfelder (LtoR) stand on the podium after a men's World Cup combined event in Kitzbuehel January 20, 2008. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger (AUSTRIA)

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