5,000 Swiss francs ($5,445). Naturally the story was blown up by the sensationalist
European press into a larger-than-life issue that seemed to bother Cuche off the
snow, but not on the course. “It was an emotional day for me to win the title,” he
said. “I may look tough outside but I am very sensitive.”
Overshadowed by the contest of the veterans, Theaux won his first downhill with
his performance on the very turny top third of the course. “I knew I skied well on the
upper part,” he said. A member of the resurgent French speed team, he was quick
to admit the “skiers behind [wearing later bib numbers] were not as favored with
visibility.” No one knew this better than Ted Ligety, who was the final racer down the
course. “It was [expletive deleted] light conditions,” Ligety said, fuming. “You can’t
see anything.”
There is an old tired saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going
and no one does this better than Julia Mancuso. In grey, dim light on a course that
was super bumpy with big chuck holes left over from the men’s race, the girl from
GEPA; ZOOM
Didier Cuche was the king of
speed this season, taking the
downhill and super G titles.
Mancuso finished the season strong: her first World Cup win in four years in the downhill.
Lara Gut, Julia Mancuso and Elisabeth Goergl
took the top three spots in the downhill.
SkiRacing.com APRIL 7, 2011 | 26
