LEVI, Finland — Jean-Baptiste Grange beat Bode Miller by 0.79 seconds Sunday to win the men's World Cup slalom opener, spoiling what could have been a perfect weekend for the American slalom skiers.

France's Jean-Baptiste Grange competes during the first leg of the men's slalom at the FIS World Cup in Levi, Finland. Grange of France surprised Bode Miller of the United States in winning the opening men's World Cup slalom Sunday, Miller taking second ahead of Austrian Mario Matt. (AFP/Olivier Morin)

Grange, who was runner-up in the slalom standings last season, had a two-run total of one minute, 44.49 seconds down Levi's tough Black Course north of the Arctic Circle. Mario Matt of Austria was third, 0.93 behind.

With the win, Baptiste took the overall lead with 122 points after two races. Miller, the defending overall champion, has 106 points in second place.

"It was a great result," Grange said. "I worked hard this summer in slalom. Now I'm feeling good on my skis and I'm very confident for the future. The course was very difficult. The second run was very tough."

Lindsey Vonn, who won the women's overall title last season for the first American sweep in 25 years, took the women's opening slalom on Saturday.

Grange skied a near-perfect first run to lead Americans Ted Ligety by 0.25 and Miller by 0.26. In the second he made a few small mistakes.

Bode Miller of the US clears a gate during the first run of the World Cup Slalom skiing competition in Levi November 16, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (FINLAND)

"In the first run I was very fast on the flat part, but not so confident on the steep part," Grange said. "I did a mistake on the flats in the second run, but I skied great on the steep part. It's great. Last year I wasn't so fast on the steep parts."

The world championships will be held in Val d'Isere, France, in February and that is Baptiste's big goal of the season.

"The World Cup in slalom also, for sure, and I want to progress in the giant slalom and maybe I can get my first GS podium this winter."

It was Grange's fourth career slalom victory after winning three races last season. For Miller, it was the first podium finish in slalom since he won at Sestriere, Italy, in December 2004.

"It's been a while, but it's been a lot of times when I felt good and comfortable but couldn't put it together in a race," Miller said. "So it was important today for me to get to the finish line. Today you saw a lot of guys, who are consistent and usually ski through the most conditions, and they're out with no points."

Benjamin Raich, a gate specialist from Austria who was runner-up behind Miller in the overall standings last year, missed a gate early in the second run and was disqualified. Raich was fourth after the opening run.

Ligety, the defending World Cup giant slalom champion, made a big mistake about halfway down the mountain and wound up 22nd and last, more than six seconds behind Baptiste.

Miller also made mistakes in the second run.

"To make it to the finish and still get 80 points out of the day is a huge success for me," he said. "I don't think even if I had skied with no mistakes I don't think I could have matched Jean-Baptiste today. But it's an important step for me to be able to make it aggressive and get to the finish line."

Miller was a little bit pessimistic in the first round.

"When I watched the first seven guys in the first run it looked in my head like there's no way I that could ski that well," he said. "I had no big mistakes (in the first run), I wasn't really going crazy. I wasn't going 100 per cent. But I was pushing hard. To be that close helped my confidence I think."

France's Jean-Baptiste Grange, center, winner of an alpine ski, World Cup Men's Slalom, stands on the podium with second placed Bode Miller, of the United States, left, and third placed Austria's Mario Matt, in Levi, Finland, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Simon Palfrader)

Racing conditions were excellent during both runs at Levi, the world's northernmost World Cup venue.

Associated Press
November 16, 2008 at 11:53 AM EST

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