American Marconi Wireless News - World Cup leader Odermatt dominates Alta Badia giant slalom

Reigning World Cup champion Odermatt charged to a combined time of two minutes, 29.23 seconds, building on his top spot in the morning's first run to pull away from Marco Schwarz in the overall standings.

The Swiss set the tone at the Gran Risa piste in the Italian Dolomites and pipped Croatia's Filip Zubcic, who set a blistering pace in his second run, by 0.19sec.

Olympic and world champion in giant slalom, Odermatt now leads Schwarz, who was 2.54sec back in fourth, by 72 points in the hunt for the big crystal globe.

"The snow was better than expected on the second run," Odermatt told Eurosport.

"It was not as bumpy as I thought so I still tried to push. I thought it was a good run. Not sure where the energy is, but one more day and two more runs -- I will give it my all."

The 26-year-old is also 70 points ahead of his Austrian rival in the giant slalom table after his second straight win in the discipline, following victory at the season's opening giant slalom at Val d'Isere last weekend.

Odermatt will be red-hot favourite to pull further away from his rivals on Monday when Alta Badia hosts the second of two giant slalom contests.

He has been on the podium in the last 19 giant slaloms he has raced, but Zubcic looks as though he could push Odermatt all the way.

Also in good form is Joan Verdu who just missed out on the second World Cup podium finish of his career after finishing third in the Val d'Isere giant slalom.

Andorran Verdu was fifth, over two-and-a-half seconds behind Odermatt but just 0.41sec away from third-placed Zan Kranjec.

Verdu's podium spot in the French Alps was the first for his country in any World Cup event.

S.Gregor--AMWN