World Cup skiing: Frenchman Adrien Theaux blows away downhill rivals in Kvitfjell
Last Updated: March 2, 2013 1:07pm
Adrien Theaux overcame difficult conditions to earn the second World Cup downhill victory of his career in Kvitfjell.
The Frenchman, who won a downhill in Lenzerheide two seasons ago, clocked one minute, 29.10 seconds on a course shortened because of gale-force winds at the top.
"Luck was on my side today but why not? I had good feelings in training and it's a course that suits me, on which you have to ski clean."
Adrien Theaux
"I had a good start with a podium in Lake Louise but otherwise my downhill season had been very frustrating," said Theaux, 28.
"Luck was on my side today but why not? I had good feelings in training and it's a course that suits me, on which you have to ski clean."
Theaux denied local favourite Aksel Lund Svindal his first victory on the downhill course of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
Crowned downhill world champion in Schladming in February, Svindal finished second to move within 129 points of Austria's Marcel Hirscher in the overall World Cup standings.
Should he win Sunday's super-G on home snow, Svindal would be back on Hirscher's heels with only seven races remaining before the end of the season.
Downhill World Cup holder Klaus Kroell of Austria was third, half a second adrift, and remained in contention to retain his globe in the discipline. Kroell is 58 points behind Svindal.
