Skiing: Blardone leads Italian one-two

ALTA BADIA, Italy - Massimiliano Blardone won the second World Cup race of his Alpine skiing career when he led an Italian one-two in a giant slalom on home snow on Sunday.

Blardone was second behind team mate Davide Simoncelli after the first leg but reversed the positions with a storming second run to win in two minutes 27.14 seconds, 0.20 seconds ahead of his fellow Italian.

Canadian Francois Bourque celebrated only the second podium position of his career with third, a further 0.08 seconds back.

American Bode Miller just held on to the overall World Cup lead despite skiing out in the first leg. His closest challenger Michael Walchhofer of Austria, also failed to finish the opening run on the Gran Risa course while Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal finished down in 23rd place.

Blardone's only previous World Cup triumph came in giant at Adelboden last season and he was delighted to get his second success in the Dolomites, where Simoncelli won two years ago and has twice finished second.

"I've really wanted to do something here and never managed it while Simoncelli always has," said Blardone, 26. "So I am really glad I was able to put that right today.

"In the second run I just had to give it my all and take some risks and thankfully it paid off for me," added Blardone, who hails from Piedmont, the region which will host February's Winter Olympics.

"Looking ahead to the Games I have to move on from here. I showed today that I am able to get the best out of myself and be positive - I have to continue in that vein," he said.

Simoncelli rued a mistake in the second run which probably cost him top spot but said he was pleased for his team's success.

"It was a great race. I messed up on the second run and I paid for that but I don't look at this as a race lost. I am pleased to be second, especially behind an Italian," added Simoncelli.

Behind the relatively little-known podium trio came some of the biggest names in the sport -- American Daron Rahlves in fourth place followed by Finn Kalle Palander and Austrians Hermann Maier and Benjamin Raich.

The result brought back memories of a great Italian success in Alta Badia in 1986 when the 'Azzurri' took all three podium spots with Richard Pramotton winning, the great Alberto Tomba second and Oswald Totsch third.

Such success has been tough to replicate for the Italians since but the double joy they enjoyed on Sunday will give them a much-needed boost ahead of the Turin Games.

- REUTERS