LionDen
02-20-2006, 12:11 PM
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Bode Miller of the United States makes a turn during the first run of the Men's Giant Slalom at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Sestriere Colle, Italy. Miller finished his first run in 12th place.
Miller 12th after first GS run; Rahlves, Ligety fail to finish; Bourque leads
SESTRIERE, Italy - Young Francois Bourque of Canada stunned a deep, experienced Olympic giant slalom field Monday by posting the fastest time in the first of the race’s two legs.
The 21-year-old Bourque tore down the rock-hard icy course in 1 minute, 16.61 seconds. No Canadian man has ever won an Olympic medal in the giant slalom.
“I know Frankie’s got incredible speed in his legs,” said Bourque’s teammate Thomas Grandi, who was 0.62 behind. “His equipment for icy conditions is incredible and I wasn’t surprised and when I saw him go out of the start gate I knew he could do it.”
Bourque’s pace was .19 better than France’s Joel Chenal, who stood in a surprising second. Chenal is only ranked 17th in the World Cup discipline standings and his only giant slalom victory dates to 1999.
Hermann Maier, who won giant slalom gold at his last Olympics in 1998 at Nagano, was tied for third with Sweden’s Fredrik Nyberg. Both needed to make up 0.22 in the afternoon’s second leg.
A frustrating Olympics continued for the U.S. men’s team.
Medal favorite Bode Miller was barely off the pace when two mistakes cost him: He clipped one gate and briefly lost his center of balance and then, on one of the final turns, lost more time when he launched into the air rather than staying low. He was in 12th, .97 back of Bourque.
“He hasn’t had the confidence he usually has,” said Miller’s father, Woody.
Meanwhile, medal threats Daron Rahlves and Ted Ligety could not finish the course after missing gates in its steep midsection.
Rahlves, considered a multirace threat in his final Olympics, will leave the Italian Alps empty handed.
“It’s hard to swallow, knowing this is the last time I’ll be racing in an event like this,” Rahlves said. “Three times in the Olympics and I haven’t medaled before.”
Ligety, himself a surprise gold medal winner in the combined, still has Saturday’s slalom to go.
“There is fresh snow on top of the ice, it makes it a little inconsistent,” Ligety said. “It was hard to find an edge. I just couldn’t make it with the risks I was having to take.”
The Associated Press
Bode Miller of the United States makes a turn during the first run of the Men's Giant Slalom at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Sestriere Colle, Italy. Miller finished his first run in 12th place.
Miller 12th after first GS run; Rahlves, Ligety fail to finish; Bourque leads
SESTRIERE, Italy - Young Francois Bourque of Canada stunned a deep, experienced Olympic giant slalom field Monday by posting the fastest time in the first of the race’s two legs.
The 21-year-old Bourque tore down the rock-hard icy course in 1 minute, 16.61 seconds. No Canadian man has ever won an Olympic medal in the giant slalom.
“I know Frankie’s got incredible speed in his legs,” said Bourque’s teammate Thomas Grandi, who was 0.62 behind. “His equipment for icy conditions is incredible and I wasn’t surprised and when I saw him go out of the start gate I knew he could do it.”
Bourque’s pace was .19 better than France’s Joel Chenal, who stood in a surprising second. Chenal is only ranked 17th in the World Cup discipline standings and his only giant slalom victory dates to 1999.
Hermann Maier, who won giant slalom gold at his last Olympics in 1998 at Nagano, was tied for third with Sweden’s Fredrik Nyberg. Both needed to make up 0.22 in the afternoon’s second leg.
A frustrating Olympics continued for the U.S. men’s team.
Medal favorite Bode Miller was barely off the pace when two mistakes cost him: He clipped one gate and briefly lost his center of balance and then, on one of the final turns, lost more time when he launched into the air rather than staying low. He was in 12th, .97 back of Bourque.
“He hasn’t had the confidence he usually has,” said Miller’s father, Woody.
Meanwhile, medal threats Daron Rahlves and Ted Ligety could not finish the course after missing gates in its steep midsection.
Rahlves, considered a multirace threat in his final Olympics, will leave the Italian Alps empty handed.
“It’s hard to swallow, knowing this is the last time I’ll be racing in an event like this,” Rahlves said. “Three times in the Olympics and I haven’t medaled before.”
Ligety, himself a surprise gold medal winner in the combined, still has Saturday’s slalom to go.
“There is fresh snow on top of the ice, it makes it a little inconsistent,” Ligety said. “It was hard to find an edge. I just couldn’t make it with the risks I was having to take.”
The Associated Press