BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (CP) - About two years ago, a motorcycle accident nearly cost Austrian skier Hermann Maier his right leg. One year ago, Maier watched the World Cup races at Beaver Creek on TV and doubted he would ever compete at the same level again. On Saturday, the Austrian ace won a World Cup downhill, finishing nearly a second ahead of teammate Hans Knauss to lead an Austrian sweep of the top three places.

 
Hermann Maier

It was Maier's second victory of the season and 44th of his career. It also vaulted Maier into first place in the overall standings, a title he has won three times.

"Last year at this time, I watched this race at a friend's bar and drank some beers," Maier said. "I thought maybe it's not possible to ski again on this level.

"One year later, I've won this race, and that's a big dream for me. This is very special. It's wonderful. A lot has changed from last year to this year."

Hermann Maier

He was timed in one minute 39.76 seconds, while Knauss came across in 1:40.71. Andreas Schifferer was third in 1:40.95 on the demanding Birds of Prey course.

American Daron Rahlves, who won Friday, was fourth in 1:41.01.

Austrians Klaus Kroell and Michael Walchhofer were fifth and sixth, helping the powerful Austrian team claim seven of the top nine places.

Hans Knauss

Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was 39th in 1:43.40 and Vincent Lavoie of Cap-Rouge, Que., was 41st.

Maier helped himself by switching skis, using a set better suited to the gliding section at the top of the course.

"Yesterday I lost the race on the top section," said Maier, who finished fifth in Friday's downhill. "If you are slow there, it's very difficult to make up time.

"Today I was great up there. I made a good run and I had very good equipment. It was technically a good race for me."

Maier, whose comeback began with a victory last season in a super giant slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, still has numbness in his right leg but said it is improving.

"It's much better," he said. "I only have problems with the knee."

The 1998 Olympic gold medallist had the second-fastest time on the gliding section and maintained his quick pace to the finish.

Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein, the fourth skier on the course, set the early pace and wound up seventh. Knauss, running 14th, bettered Buechel's time, and Maier, running 16th, was even faster.

Michael Walchhofer

Knauss was pleased with his result after having a fast run on Friday but skiing wide on one of the final turns and missing a gate.

"Yesterday I pulled out when I was in the lead," he said. "It was a stupid mistake. So I had to come to the finish today. I'm really happy to have a result like this."

American star Bode Miller made a mistake for a second straight day. Miller, who was thrown back on his skis and crashed Friday, lost control on a jump and missed a gate Saturday.

Austria's Stephan Eberharter, the defending World Cup overall and downhill champion, was 12th in 1:41.76.

Wind picked up during runs by Rahlves and Eberharter.

"The wind at the top, it just started blowing hard three guys before I went to the start," Rahlves said. "That wasn't very helpful. I'm kind of surprised I was fourth."

Eberharter agreed that the timing of the wind was unfortunate.

"We were four- or five-tenths off the pace in the flat part, and that's too much," he said.

A super-G is scheduled here Sunday.

Sat Dec 6, 6:28 PM ET Canadian Press

***

Maier Goes from Beer to Champagne in One Year
Sat Dec 6, 6:33 PM ET Reuters

By Steve Keating

BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (Reuters) - A year ago Hermann Maier was sitting in a pub Obertauern drinking beer watching America's downhill and wondering if he would ever race on the Birds of Prey again.

On Saturday, the Herminator was back at Beaver Creek drinking champagne, celebrating his first downhill win since a near-fatal motorcycle accident two years ago shattered his leg and left his career hanging in the balance.

"At this time last year I was drinking a few beers watching the race on television in Austria," recalled Maier, as if it were some distant memory. "I was thinking it is not possible to ski at this level again and one year later I have won this race.

"It is a great dream for me."

It was also the perfect birthday present for Maier who will turn 31 on Sunday and finds himself back on top of the sport he once ruled over in unquestioned fashion.

Still not fully recovered from the grizzly crash that left his right leg shattered, Maier had labeled this campaign his comeback season.

But with two emphatic victories in his last three races, the former-bricklayer from Flachau must now consider his comeback complete.

Going into Sunday's super-G Maier finds himself perched in a familiar place, back atop the rankings with 325 points, 55 more than compatriot Michael Walchhofer.

And with eight victories in 12 career starts on the Birds of Prey, the double Olympic champion can expect to add to his lead after Sunday's super-G.

But Maier refused to speculate on his chances of claiming a fourth overall World Cup crown saying that, for now, he would continue to approach the season one race at a time.

BIGGEST GOAL

"To race as fast as I can race by race, one by one, is my only goal," said Maier. "My biggest goal is to just keep improving with each race."

While Maier does not allow himself to think about another overall title he does have his eye on surpassing Marc Girardelli's mark of 46 career wins.

Having brought his total to 44 with his victory on Saturday, Maier can move into third place on the all-time list behind only Italy's Alberto Tomba (50) and the great Swede Ingemar Stenmark (86) with just three more victories.

"Mine has been a short career," said Maier, who did not join the World Cup until the 1996-97 season. "I started late and missed two seasons.

"To reach Girardelli's record would be a great accomplishment."