Gerg boosts bid for overall title
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Germany's Gerg speeds to first win since her serious knee injury
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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (Reuters) -- Hilde Gerg of Germany stepped up her bid for the overall World Cup title on Saturday with her first downhill victory of the season in Italy.
Gerg, the most consistent skier on the women's circuit this season, clocked one minute 17.57 seconds down a shortened Cortina course to consolidate third place in the standings.
Renate Goetschl, looking to follow up her win in Friday's super-G, had to be content with second in 1:17.87, but now leads the overall standings.
Austrian Goetschl knew she could knock Swedish slalom specialist Anja Paerson off the top, but achieved the feat by a single point.
Olympic champion Carole Montillet of France was third in 1:17.96 at Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Gerg's victory, the 18th of her career, is her first in the speed discipline since returning from a serious knee injury that sidelined her for much of last season.
"After my injury the aim was to get back racing downhill again," she said. "To win seemed impossible but I've done it.
"I started my comeback slowly and didn't take any risks in training but with my experience I have learnt when to start taking risks," she said.
Poor visibility and the soft surface penalised early runners but Gerg said she had not allowed the difficulties to distract her.
"Conditions were very hard but you have to ignore that, you can't always have the best conditions," said Gerg. "I just stayed focused on the race, that's all you can do in that situation."
But the German played down the notion that she could challenge Goetschl and Paerson for the overall title.
"To win the World Cup I need to do better in the technical disciplines and of course I am not competing in slalom.
"So basically what I would need to do is win the speed events, which of course is easier said than done, and hope that Anja doesn't win in the technical races.
"It is very difficult to imagine me winning the overall but a top three position is possible."
With a second downhill at Cortina scheduled for Sunday Gerg could further close the gap on Paerson while Goetschl will look to extend her advantage before the slalom and giant slalom races in Slovenia next weekend.
Goetschl said she was pleased to have taken over top spot but said there had been no decisive shift in her favour.
"I'm happy with second because it is not an everyday thing to finish on the podium. It is nice to be the halftime leader in the World Cup but there are a lot of races to go," she said.
"I've edged in front of Anja and hopefully we can keep it interesting to the end."
