Kostelic seals Cup hat-trick

Men's skiing round-up

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Slalom

Croatia's defending champion Ivica Kostelic has won his third consecutive World Cup slalom with a commanding victory over American Bode Miller in Bormio.

Kostelic won convincingly from Miller

Miller, though, moved into the overall World Cup lead after a storming second run moved him from ninth place to second, 0.4 seconds behind Kostelic's time of one minute 49.03 seconds.

Afterwards Kostelic said: "This is a big victory for me. My goal at the beginning of the season was to be consistent.

"And to beat Miller is what makes it exciting. In the second run I saw Bode skiing really well and the only option was to fully attack the course and to ski correctly."

Norwegian Hans-Petter Buraas took the final podium place.

Olympic champion Jean-Pierre Vidal, of France, second after the first leg, fell just a few gates from the finish on the Stelvio course.

Ex-world champion Kalle Palander faded in the second leg and finished fifth, just behind Austrian Manfred Pranger.

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Downhill

Austria's Stephan Eberharter put his knee injury firmly behind him to storm to victory in the men's downhill in Bormio on Saturday.

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The World Cup downwhill champion flew down the 3.7-km Stelvio course in a time of one minute 59.27 seconds.

The triple Olympic medallist beat team-mate Michael Walchhofer into second by 0.48 seconds.

American Daron Rahlves - the winner in another downhill in Bormio on 29 December - was third in 2:00.04.

Eberharter's a great champion who manages the pressure well

Bode Miller

Eberharter has now won four of the season's six downhill races and afterwards said: "I am absolutely over the moon.

"Before the start of the race my goal was to at best finish in the top five or top 10. To come back (from injury) on such a difficult course is wonderful.

"I knew it would take time to find my rhythm again but that I've already won again is great."

Ski Sunday

Miller said: "He's a great champion who manages the pressure well."

Eberharter is the strong favourite to win medals in the downhill, super-G and giant slalom events at the world championships in St Moritz next month.