Bozzetto

It really looked like Austria's Dieter Krassnig was going to end the French winning streak today, but NOKIA World team rider Matthieu Bozzetto wasn't ready to step down and chalked up yet another another win on his points list, all under sunny skies on the Idalpe course at Ischgl, Austria, in the fourth parallel slalom of the season.

As usual, Bozzetto started as a top favorite and once again displayed his outstanding skills, setting the fastest time during the qualification round. Against Krassnig in the final duel, Bozzetto crashed in the first run, thus leaving the door open for a surprise result.

But Krassnig wasn't able to take advantage of the situation. He crashed halfway down his second run, allowing Bozzetto to claim his seventh win this season, his fourth consecutive in parallel slalom.

"I did not even give 100 percent, maybe just 80 or 90, until I crashed in the first final run. I knew I needed to be fast to put some pressure on Krassnig...."— Matthieu Bozzetto (FRA)

"It appears to me that everyone feels a lot of pressure when they need to race against me," said Bozzetto. "That's too bad, since there are quite a few riders for me to fear. But it's always the same. While I take it relaxed in the start gate, the others are very concentrated. I did not even give 100 percent, maybe just 80 or 90, until I crashed in the first final run. I knew I needed to be fast to put some pressure on Krassnig. When he dropped out, I was safe."

Like he did four weeks ago in Les Gets, Krassnig took the silver and, as if he had listened to what Bozzetto had said, he stated, "Maybe there was too much respect for Bozzetto. I could have done it today, but it just did not happen. He is the top rider these days. I knew there was nothing to lose, so I attacked and got it right in the first run but then the pressure increased again. Maybe it was also a question of luck."

The duel for 3rd place was a pure Austrian contest, with Felix Stadler facing Alexander Koller. The latter was in the lead by 11 hundredths of a second in the first run, but Stadler made up the time in the next run and took his fifth trip to the podium this season.

Bozzetto will hold onto the yellow leader's bib. His teammate and friend, Nicolas Huet, is still in 2nd overall, although he was eliminated in the quarterfinals and took 9th place today. Stadler moved up to 3rd in the overall standings.

	Riegler

Riegler Repeats Win
Manuela Riegler from Austria made it the second consecutive double win for the NOKIA World Team by claiming another gold today, just like she did last weekend in Tandadalen, Sweden.

"I did not feel very good in the qualification this morning," she said, "but when I had made it to the final duel I just tried to stay relaxed and it happened. Two wins this season and I got both with the same bib numbers that I took my wins with last year."

Germany's Sandra Farmand finished 2nd. "I would have loved to win," she said, "but Manu was really good. Given that I had a tooth operation last week and just got here yesterday, 2nd is okay for me."

France's Karine Ruby met Manu's sister Claudia in the consolation round for 3rd place. "There is not much missing for me to win," Ruby said, "but I keep on trying." Her teammate, Isabelle Blanc, lost the duel against Ruby in the quarterfinals and finished 6th, but she still keeps the lead in the parallel standings, ahead of Manuela Riegler and Ruby.

A giant slalom is scheduled for tomorrow.

—Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent