|
zake201
|
Apr 9 2014, 10:04 AM
Post #1
|
|
Administrator
- Posts:
- 918
- Group:
- Admins
- Member
- #1
- Joined:
- Mar 17, 2014
|
BORMIO, Italy -- Olympic champion Didier Defago won a gruelling World Cup downhill on the bumpy Stelvio course Thursday while Canadian Erik Guay just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish. Defago had a nearly flawless run and clocked a time of two minutes 1.81 seconds, showing that he has fully recovered from a knee injury that kept him out all of last season. Fellow Swiss Patrick Kueng was 0.29 seconds behind and Klaus Kroell of Austria was 0.42 seconds back in third place. Guay, the reigning world downhill champ from Mont-Tremblant, Que., laid down a controlled run to finish 0.64 seconds behind Defago. "Its frustrating to be fourth but all in all, I had a pretty solid run," said Guay. "Its a really, really challenging downhill this year. I feel like I could have taken some chances in different areas." It was the fourth World Cup win of Defagos career and his third in the downhill, having won the classic races in Wengen and Kitzbuehel back-to-back three years ago. Defago appeared set for greatness after snatching a gold medal at last years Vancouver Olympics, but then he ruptured knee ligaments in pre-season training in September 2010 and spent seven months off the slopes. "Im just happy to be racing again. Everything is positive now," Defago said. "Ive been waiting for this race since the start of the season. I like this course and it suits my style. I knew I could do well." Defago has picked a good time to regain his form, with the next downhills in Wengen and Kitzbuehel. "I had some difficult times and I suffered but the support from my family and the doctors was a big help," Defago said. "Thats why I travel with my family -- it was great to have my wife and two kids here to celebrate with them." Defago and Kueng also had loud support from a large group of red-clad Swiss fans, with the Swiss border only a short drive away. Calgarys Jan Hudec was 23rd, Benjamin Thomsen of Invermere, Ont., was 32nd and Louis-Pierre Helie of Berthierville, Que., was 47th. Guay, who took time over the summer to deal with a troublesome back, appears closer to a return to his top form. "Over the last two races its been much more consistent," Guay said. "All I can do now is have a good break at home and come back (strong) next year." An early starter with the No. 11 bib, Defago didnt celebrate much at the finish with the top-ranked downhillers still to start, although he did hold up a finger to signal he was No. 1 -- and thats where he remained as a slight wind appeared to slow the later starters. "What Didier has done after that injury is truly unbelievable. I can only bow my head and tip my hat to him," said fellow Swiss standout Didier Cuche, who finished eighth. Kueng, meanwhile, was sitting third when the previous downhill in Val Gardena was cancelled due to strong winds. "I told Kueng this morning that after he lost that podium in Val Gardena he better show he can do it again today and he did," Cuche said. "Of course Im frustrated with my finish today but Im happy for both of my teammates." Defago became the fourth different Swiss man to win this season, with Cuche taking the opening downhill in Lake Louise, Alberta; Sandro Viletta winning a super-G in Beaver Creek, Colorado; and Beat Feuz taking a super-G in Val Gardena earlier this month. "Its great were having so much success and I feel like my first victory could come at any time," Kueng said. "Im a good glider and Wengen should suit me." Three-time Stelvio winner Bode Miller was fifth, moving the American to the top of the downhill standings. After three of 11 downhills, Miller holds a nine-point lead over Kroell, with Cuche 13 points back and previous leader Feuz trailing by 14 points. Feuz fell and slid downhill on his back for about 100 metres after losing control on the top section, although he immediately got up and appeared uninjured. Overcast conditions made visibility better than usual -- since sun and shade often provide a disarming contrast on the Stelvio -- but several racers still had problems. Christof Innerhofer of Italy, the 2008 winner here, missed a gate midway down as he struggled with the flu; and Robbie Dixon of Whistler, B.C., went off course on the top. Miller nearly touched the snow with his left hip midway down as he tried to correct his line on a traverse. "I take a lot of risks with my skiing and when I made that mistake on the traverse there was nowhere else to make up time," Miller said. "I basically had to ski uphill to make the next gate." Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway finished sixth and reclaimed the lead in the overall World Cup standings from Marcel Hirscher of Austria, a technical specialist who does not race downhill. Svindal leads Hirscher by 31 points, with Ted Ligety of the United States is third, 71 points back. The mens circuit resumes Jan. 5 with a slalom in Zagreb, Croatia. Cheap NFL Jerseys . -- Floridas guards made the difference -- a big difference -- in an easy win over archrival Florida State on Wednesday night. Cheap Jerseys From China . Toronto Argonauts running back Chad Kackert makes his first start of the season Saturday night and it comes in the most unusual of circumstances -- replacing a league leader. http://www.cheapchinajerseys.us.com/ . Mazzola, 26, played in 98 games for the Goldeyes last season. He finished tied for third in the American Association with 18 home runs and fifth in slugging percentage at . Cheap Jerseys China . Boston College forward John Gaudreau powered the American attack with three power play goals, Riley Barber scored twice and J.T. Miller and Ryan Hartman both added lone markers. Defenceman Seth Jones also added four assists for Team USA. Wholesale Jerseys .C. Lions victory over the Montreal Alouettes. The 36-year-old B.C. Lions slotback thought he would be in the lineup, despite a hamstring injury he suffered eight days earlier in Montreal, but coach Mike Benevides had other ideas.TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays have signed pitchers Claudio Vargas, Richard Thompson and Juan Perez and infielders Eugenio Velez and Luis Jimenez to minor-league contracts with invitations to major-league spring training. Vargas, a 34-year-old right-hander, spent the 2012 season with triple-A Nashville. The right-hander posted a 7-1 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 20 starts. In parts of eight major-league seasons, he has a 48-40 record with one save and a 4.83 ERA. Thompson, a 28-year-old right-hander, played for the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland last season, posting a 0-1 record with a 15.43 ERA in three games. In 46 relief appearances for triple-A Sacramento, he postedd a 4-2 record with a 3.dddddddddddd34 ERA and 58 strikeouts. In parts of six major-league seasons, he has a 3-4 record with a 4.21 ERA in 82 games. Perez, a 34-year-old lefty, appeared in 10 games out of the bullpen for Milwaukee, going 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA. In 38 relief appearances with triple-A Nashville, he was 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA and recorded 54 strikeouts in 40 innings. In 42 major-league relief appearances, he has posted a 1-2 record with a 4.88 ERA. Velez, 30, spent the 2012 season with triple-A Memphis, posting a .280 average with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs in 136 games. In 259 major-league games, the switch-hitting third baseman has batted .241 with eight home runs and 72 RBIs. ' ' '
|