ADELBODEN, Switzerland - Austria's Hans Knauss posted his first victory in four years Tuesday with a win on one of the World Cup circuit's most difficult giant slalom courses, but saw his victory virtually eclipsed by the return of teammate Hermann Maier, skiing his first race since almost losing a leg 18 months ago.

Hermann Maier

Knauss, fourth after the opening leg, won with a two-run combined time of 2 minutes 29.68 seconds, thanks to an aggressive second leg combined with several blunders from the field's best.

Hans Knauss

"I'm delighted. This is my best result in what I consider to be the second part of my career," said Knauss, who has struggled to return to form since a bad crash following his last victory in Kitzbuehel in 1999. "I'm lucky to still be here. I've had some difficult moments."

It marked Knauss' second giant slalom victory and the sixth World Cup win of his career.

World giant slalom champion Michael von Gruenigen, the winner of two races this season, generated a riot of clanging cowbells, climbing from a disastrous ninth in the opening run into second in 2:29.77.

"I won second, I didn't lose the race," von Gruenigen said. "I was 1.44 behind in the first run. I figured there was no hope for a podium finish."

Norwegian alrounder Kjetil-Andre Aamodt, who suffered a concussion in Bormio last weekend, was third in 2:29.93.

"I was a little disappointed in myself. I didn't ski so well in the first run," Aamodt said. "But I had the best time in the second leg."

von Gruenigen, Knauss and Aamodt

Didier Cuche, the winner here last year, had posted the fastest time of the opening leg, but straddled a gate his second trip down. Austria's Benjamin Raich, the second-quickest in the opening leg, also went out near the top of the course.

A concentrated Hermann Maier silenced the excited Swiss crowd in the first leg, making his first World Cup appearance since almost losing a leg in a motorbike accident in August 2001.

But it was a frustrating comeback for the mighty Herminator.

Looking only to qualify after such a long time off, Maier finished a maddening 31st, just one spot and .05 seconds away from advancing to the second run.

American Erik Schlopy, fourth in the last giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, was another casualty of the steep Kuonisbaergli course — considered the most difficult giant slalom of the tour. Schlopy lost control as one of his carving skis went astray to send him careening wildly into the safety netting and collide with a course worker standing there.

Both were unhurt, but the winded Schlopy spent several moments recovering on the side of the slope.

American Bode Miller clung to his lead atop the World Cup overall standings despite losing his left ski in the opening run, as rival and title holder Stephan Eberharter went out in the second leg.

"It's a bummer. It's disappointing. It's frustrating. It's the second time this season," said Miller, who lost a ski in a slalom in Park City. "But you can't really blame the binding. It's a different kind of binding, there's no forward pressure. It's actually a really good binding if it stays on.

"Hopefully it'll stay on next time."

Miller maintained his lead of 690 points in the overall, followed by Eberharter, currently runnerup on 655.

However, the American surrendered his lead in the giant slalom standings to von Gruenigen, who has 382 points. Miller, who won back-to-back giant slaloms in Alta Badia and Kranjska Gora, dropped to second with 325.

Most skiers were able to put the day's events into perspective in the light of Maier's hard-fought return from grievous injuries.

Once the all-dominant skier on the World Cup, Maier's career nearly came to a premature end when he almost lost a leg in a horrific motorcycle crash in August 2001.

The 1998 two-time Olympic champion had not competed since his accident. His last race was a giant slalom on March 10, 2001, in Are, Sweden, which he won. He was expected to make a comeback in October but re-injured his leg last August in Chile while gate skiing for the first time since the crash.

Maier said he would train the downhills in Wengen next week before deciding whether to race. 

By ERICA BULMAN, Associated Press Writer