In the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom opening at Levi (FIN), Austrian Reinfried Herbst edged Croatian Ivica Kostelic and reigning World Cup slalom champion Jean-Baptiste Grange of France for the sixth slalom victory of his career.
Herbst was sitting in the fourth place after the first run, made a flawless second run setting the fastest time of the entire run which vaulted him to victory.
"My first run was already good, I didn't make any mistakes. In the second run I focused especially on the flat part of the course and I managed it well", Herbst described his race.
Ivica Kostelic started his second run well, but a small mistake on the steep part of the course cost him the place on the top of the podium. After a long pause caused by injuries, Kostelic wasn't very confident about his chances before the race.
"After the first run I thought that I might have a chance for success, since the steep part of the course went so well", stated the Croatian, who finished the first run in sixth place.
Last year's Levi winner Jean-Baptiste Grange was in the lead at the intermediate time in the second run, but a major mistake at the beginning of the steep part of the course first seemed to kick the Frenchman off the podium. Eventually his speed was enough for the third place.
"There was a small lining beside one of the poles that caused my mistake. It took me five gates before I managed to get my speed back", Grange described the key moments of the second run.
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