Didier Cuche of Switzerland wins World Cup downhill title with victory in Norway

Swiss Cuche wins World Cup downhill title

KVITFJELL, Norway — Didier Cuche of Switzerland won his third straight World Cup downhill title with a dominant run Saturday, his first race after missing the podium in the event at the Vancouver Olympics.

Cuche finished the 1994 Olympic course in 1 minute, 45.98 seconds to beat Olympic silver medalist Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway by nearly half a second. Defending champion Klaus Kroell of Austria was third.

“I really enjoyed it,” Cuche said. “I was very nervous about 30 minutes before the start, but then I calmed down. I found a really tight line down the course.”

Bode Miller, who won bronze in the downhill at the Vancouver Olympics, skipped the event.

Cuche won his third downhill this season, and he clinched the discipline title with one race remaining next week in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

The 35-year-old Swiss also won the downhill titles in 2007 and 2008. With a giant slalom and super-G victory, Cuche has won five races this season to improve his career total to 14.

The race Saturday in sunny but freezing weather was marred by a crash by Andrew Weibrecht of the United States, the Olympic super-G bronze medalist.

Weibrecht lost his balance while landing after a long jump, tumbled over several times with his skis and poles flying away before coming to a stop in safety netting. He was seen moving, but appeared to clutch his right shoulder.

Cuche went to Vancouver as the leading downhill racer, but he finished only sixth.

“Of course the Olympics were a disappointment, but I wasn’t completely down,” Cuche said. “The media at home made me the big favorite at the Olympics and then they tried to put me down by saying I was completely destroyed. It was a game I didn’t like.

“The Olympics is one race, and what does one race mean compared to the other 120 between the games,” Cuche said. “I came here to enjoy the skiing and not seek revenge for anything. I’ve always liked being here, having success makes it even better.”

Cuche’s only rival for the downhill title, Swiss teammate Carlo Janka, finished sixth.

Svindal, who won the super-G Olympic gold medal, delighted the home crowd with a fast run, but he went too wide in a bend and was second in 1:46.45.

“I was fine until the last jump. When I landed, I came off the track and there was a bit of snow there,” Svindal said. “Didier is the best downhiller in the world and he deserved to win. He should have won a medal in Vancouver.”

Kroell was third in 1:46.55, despite a sore left leg from a crash in practice Friday.