Cuche takes Super G by a hair’s breadth

Two-hundredths of a second gave Cuche victory Keystone

Swiss skier Didier Cuche has won the men's World Cup Super G race in the Italian resort of Val Gardena in an event that brought drama with the closest of finishes.

He beat Bode Miller of the United States by just two-hundredths of a second and Liechtenstein’s Marco Büchel by four-hundredths of a second.

Cuche’s compatriot, Didier Défago, came fourth, but two other Swiss, Daniel Albrecht and Tobias Grünenfelder, were eliminated after falling.

It was Cuche’s first World Cup race victory this season and the third career win in the discipline. His previous Super G wins were in March 2002 in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria and Beaver Creek in the US in December of the same year.

Cuche, who has finished third three times this season in World Cup races, has now clocked up seven victories.

The Swiss shot down the hill on Friday in 1 minute 36.62, despite an early mistake in near-perfect conditions.

Unconventional

Second-placed Miller produced his usual unconventional skiing where he almost fell early on as he pushed himself to the limit.

Miller, who won on the Saslong course in 2006, admitted afterwards that he had made “too many errors”, which had given Cuche the edge.

With his victory, the 33-year-old Cuche ended a five-year spell without a Swiss victory in the Super G. The previous Swiss triumph was by Défago in Val Gardena in December 2002.

The traditional downhill event at Val Gardena is due to take place on the Saslong course on Saturday.

Benjamin Raich of Austria remains top in the overall World Cup standings ahead of Cuche – the downhill World Cup champion of 2007 – and Albrecht.

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

Val Gardena Super G:

1. Didier Cuche (Switzerland) -1 minute 36.52 seconds
2. Bode Miller (US) – 0.02 seconds behind
3. Marco Büchel (Liechtenstein) – 0.04
4. Didier Défago (Switzerland) – 0.22
further:
17.Ambrosi Hoffmann (Switzerland)
21.Silvan Zurbriggen
24.Olivier Brand