BORMIO, 29/12/2004 14:20, Italy (AP) _ Austrian downhiller Johann Grugger won his first World Cup race Wednesday on the course that will host the upcoming world championships. Grugger covered the Stelvio, one of the most physically demanding layouts on the circuit, in 1 minute, 55.77 seconds. Reigning downhill world champion Michael Walchhofer finished second, 0.24 seconds behind, and Olympic gold medalist Fritz Strobl was third, 0.66 back, to round out an all-Austrian podium. Overall World Cup leader Bode Miller came in 14th, but still holds a 876-560 lead in the standings ahead of Austria's Benjamin Raich, who finished 17th.

With strong wind gusts blowing snow squalls onto the course during his run, Miller said the only thing he could see was his skis. "I just told myself to go straight down and stay focused like I was riding a rodeo," the American said. Defending overall champion Hermann Maier, a two-time winner in Bormio but winless this entire season, was 11th and remained third overall with 506 points. The 23-year-old Grugger also finished first in Tuesday's final training session, although many top skiers did not ski their fastest in training in order to gain a more strategic starting position in the race.

The final training session determines the starting order for downhill races, with the top 30 finishers starting in reverse order. Grugger was therefore the 30th man out of the starting gate and faced a stiff challenge to beat Walchhofer's impressive time. Grugger trailed Walchhofer at all four intermediate splits before increasing his speed over the Stelvio's final bumpy section, at which point most skiers legs burn with pain.

Wind affected the race at various intervals and each of the top finishers were lucky enough to compete in more favorable conditions. Grugger's previous best results were two third-place finishes in downhills, at Val Gardena on Dec. 18 and St. Anton last season. Another Austrian, Klaus Kroell, came in fourth. Switzerland's Silvan Zurbriggen, another 23-year-old who was second in a slalom earlier this season and has all-around potential, came in fifth.

Daron Rahlves of the United States, who won the last race held here in 2002, was sixth. "It was just one of those days where a lot depended on when you started," Rahlves said of the conditions. "But it was still Bormio at its best, the snow conditions on the hill were great for feeling the bumps. The wind just added another factor." The American team began the season by dominating the speed disciplines, with Miller winning three races and Rahlves posting one second-place finish.

Since then, the Austrian "Wunderteam" has restored itself to its customary leadership, with this race marking its second podium sweep of the season after a super-G in Val Gardena on Dec. 17. With an eye on the worlds, the Americans were planning to train some more at Bormio on Thursday before taking a few days off for the holiday weekend. "I'll tell you right now we're going to put one of our guys on the step," McBride said of the worlds that will be held at Bormio _ and nearby Santa Caterina for women's events _ from Jan. 28 to Feb. 13.

By entering the 151st downhill of his career, Italy's Kristian Ghedina eclipsed Austria's Peter Wirnsberger, an eight-time winner in the 1980s, for the most downhills raced on the World Cup circuit. Ghedina, who raced his first downhill in 1988, was presented at the finish line with a giant cake with "151" scrawled across it. He finished 21st Wednesday. 

World cup Leader

Miller Bode
12.10.1977 (Franconia)
Ski: Atomic
 
  Miller Bode  876
  Raich Benjamin  560
  Maier Hermann  503
  Walchhofer Michael  481
  Cuche Didier  395
  Rahlves Daron  391
  Grandi Thomas  322
  Kjus Lasse  268
  Defago Didier  267
  Grugger Johann  266

Next Races

06.01.2005 Santa Caterina (ITA) DH
07.01.2005 Santa Caterina (ITA) DH
08.01.2005 Chamonix (FRA) DH
08.01.2005 Berchtesgaden (GER) GS
09.01.2005 Chamonix (FRA) SL
09.01.2005 Berchtesgaden (GER) SL
11.01.2005 Adelboden (SUI) GS