ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP. WENGEN, SWITZERLAND - On a mild, sunny afternoon with softening snow conditions on the Maennlichen racehill, Croatian veteran Ivica Kostelic continued exactly where he left off last Sunday in Adelboden – winning for the second time in consecutive races.

First placed Croatia's Ivica Kostelic celebrates at the end of the men's ski world cup Super Combined race in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

The Olympic silver medalist won Friday’s race in the infrequently contested super combined discipline by 0.58 seconds over Switzerland’s Carlo Janka. Kostelic, fifth after the morning downhill, aggressively attacked the lower section of the afternoon slalom course on the way to his third victory of the season.

Ivica Kostelic of Croatia clears the Hundschopf during the Super Combined downhill race at the FIS Ski World Cup at the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Keystone, Peter Klaunzer)

“At last – I’ve never had a podium here (in super combined), so a victory is very welcome,” said Kostelic in the finish area after the race. “I consider myself a pretty good combined skier, so to not have a victory here in Wengen with all the classical combines until now is a little sad I think.”

Patrik Jaerbyn of Sweden clears the Hundschopf during the Super Combined downhill race at the FIS Ski World Cup at the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Keystone, Peter Klaunzer)

Janka put the pressure on his competitors with a second-place showing in the morning downhill staged on the shortened 3078-meter Lauberhorn piste. The 24-year-old Swiss had a 0.86 advantage over Kostelic entering the slalom but couldn’t hold off the hard charging Croatian.

Second placed Switzerland's Carlo Janka speeds down the course during a men's ski world cup Super Combined slalom race in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Enrico Schiavi)

Kostelic’s slalom was 1.44 seconds faster than Janka and .85 quicker than third place finisher Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway. He also was fastest in the afternoon slalom among all competitors, with American Ted Ligety being the closest to him, 0.57 back.

Ted Ligety from the United States clears a gate during the men's ski World Cup Super Combined Slalom on the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Keystone, Peter Schneider)

“It’s just the spring snow, I really enjoy skiing on it,” said Kostelic. “There’s no impact, it’s just pure skiing.”

Svindal, who was seventh after the downhill, climbed to third with a better than average slalom performance.

“In the slalom I was pretty good,” said the tall Norwegian. “The downhill I still have some work to do for tomorrow.”

Third placed Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal celebrates at the end of the men's ski world cup Super Combined race in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Italy’s Christof Innerhofer, the morning downhill leader, slipped to fourth overall, 1.53 behind Kostelic, despite a solid slalom effort.

The 31-year-old Kostelic, who has finished no better than fourth in the overall World Cup standings, doing so in 2009, padded his overall lead to 109 ahead of two-time overall champion Svindal.

By Brian Pinelli
FISalpine.com
Friday 14 January 2011

From left, second placed Switzerland's Carlo Janka, first placed Croatia's Ivica Kostelic and third placed Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal celebrate on the podium at the end of the men's ski world cup Super Combined in Wengen, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

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