Kostelic carried off as Raich wins
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Raich regains top spot in the World Cup standings
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SCHLADMING, Austria (Reuters) -- Benjamin Raich regained top spot in the World Cup standings after winning a dramatic floodlit slalom on Tuesday.
The Austrian triumphed with a combined time of one minute 41.67 seconds after world champion Ivica Kostelic crashed in the second run and was carried off the slope on a stretcher.
Bode Miller, who was quickest after the first run by nearly a second, fizzled out to fourth place after a lengthy delay following the injury to Kostelic at Austrian venue Schladming.
Italian Manfred Moelgg was second with 1:42.24 and Finland's Kalle Palander was third in 1:42.25.
"This is the best day of my season," said Raich, who takes over from Norway's Lasse Kjus as overall leader. "It was a super race in front of a great crowd, it was absolutely divine."
Miller refused to blame the long delay for an unusually cautious second run that cost him a first World Cup slalom victory for two years.
"Waiting wasn't so bad," said the American. "The guys that finished in front of me did great runs."
Under steady snowfall and with the roar of 38,000 fans echoing across the mountain, Miller let loose on the first run and charged down the floodlit Planai course in 49.15 seconds.
Kostelic of Croatia crossed second, trailing the American by a whopping 0.98 seconds while Raich was third at halfway.
