BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) UP NEXT
The men's Alpine combined on Sunday, a race that features one run of downhill and another of slalom with the times combined. It's also been called a super-combined.
2013 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS ALPINE COMBINED MEDALISTS
Gold, Ted Ligety, United States. Silver, Ivica Kostelic, Croatia. Bronze, Romed Baumann, Austria.
THE FAVORITES
Carlo Janka of Switzerland: Won the combined in 2009 when it was last held in Beaver Creek. Leads the World Cup standings in event.
Ted Ligety of United States: He's the defending world champion courtesy of his win in Austria two years ago. He won three gold medals at those worlds.
Alexis Pinturault of France: Captured the event in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Jan. 23. Finished third in a super-G at Beaver Creek in December.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT
Kostelic. Sure, the skier from Croatia may be 35 years old, but his experience could help him on this difficult course.
Marcel Hirscher, Austria. Will be in contention if he can have a solid downhill. Always fast in the slalom.
QUOTABLE
''For a slalom guy, it's a big experience to jump down Golden Eagle and Harrier jump, all those crazy parts on this course. It's just fun.'' Marcel Hirscher of Austria.
FACTS & FIGURES
Austria's Benjamin Raich (2005) and Ligety are attempting to capture their second world combined title. Eight men have done that, the last being Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway in 2009 and `11. ... Pinturault is looking to become first man from France to win the combined at worlds since Michel Vion in 1982. ... The last Swiss skier to win the event at worlds was Daniel Albrecht in 2007. ... The Olympic champion in the super-combined at 2014 Sochi Games was Switzerland's Sandro Viletta, who won't compete at worlds because of a balky back. Kostelic was runner-up in Russia and Christof Innerhofer of Italy earned the bronze.
