Reigning World Cup slalom champion Kalle Palander of Finland took the first-run lead and went on to win a World Cup giant slalom Sunday by nearly a second over David Simoncelli of Italy. Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), the only U.S. skier in the second run, was fourth in the 37-degree weather and deteriorating course conditions.

Palander was timed in 2:30.57 with Simoncelli second in 2:31.49. Miller, second in the first run, had problems at the top and bottom of his final run but held on to finish in 2:31.69.

"He skied awesome today," Miller said of Palander's first victory in GS. "He's skied well a lot of times and never won in GS. He was overdue."

Miller, who failed to finish three speed races a week ago at the Chevy Truck Birds of Prey events in Beaver Creek, Colo., said the softening conditions made the second run very problematic.

"I fought the whole way. The conditions were really tough," he said. "It was bumpy and my skis were higher [off the snow] than they may have looked. I was having trouble staying on line a little bit.

Miller survived rocky ride
"I was getting bounced around. The two courses were tough. It was tough for me to make turns on both courses."

He had problems at the top and bottom of his second run. "I got my arm stuck in a gate and it snapped me around a little bit," Miller said. "I skied pretty well, I thought, and then through the middle I got bounced around a little bit more and on this last pitch I got thrown away from a gate and you can't do that.

"I needed a clean run and I didn't have it."

U.S. Head Coach Phil McNichol said, "I thought Bode had a great raceÉbut, unfortunately - and this is sounding a little like a broken record - we didn't pull ourselves in a really big day with all the guys. They were tight runs - Mike [Morin - men's SL/GS head coach] set his first World Cup course on the second run and he did a great job."

When the women raced Saturday, the sky was clear and temperatures were cold, but the men found a warm wind - the renowned foehn - and the sky grew more moody as the day went along.

Coach liked aggressive effort
"Conditions deteriorated and only two guys qualified from outside the first 30 [starters]," McNichol said, noting Dane Spencer (Boise, ID) was a near-miss for a second run - missing by.07, and praising the aggressive effort by World Cup rookie Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH), who started 54th. "Really good skiing paid off. Palander skied so well - he ran 30th on the second run and he still won it.

"Bode hooked a gate a couple of times on that second run, hooked his left arm a couple of times and pulled a panel off at one point and that hung with him for a couple of turns, and then he got bounced in a hole and had to throw 'em sideways, but he was close to the top three. He skied with confidence, skied aggressively and there clearly was no baggage from his lack of results last weekend, which I wanted to see."

The GS - the third of the young season - was moved from Val d'Isere, France, because of poor snow conditions. The men move on to Madonna di Campiglio for a night slalom Monday and then to Val Gardena for downhill-super G combination Friday and Saturday with another GS Sunday.

MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Men's Giant Slalom

1. Kalle Palander, Finland, 2:30.57
2. David Simoncelli, Italy, 2:31.49
3. Frederic Covili, France, 2:31.65
4. Bode Miller, Franconia, N.H., 2:31.69
5. Lasse Kjus, Norway, 2:32.26

Other U.S. skiers
Did not qualify for 2nd run: Dane Spencer, Boise, Idaho; Daron Rahlves, Sugar Bowl, Calif.; Jimmy Cochran, Keene, N.H.; Thomas Vonn, Newburgh, N.Y.

WORLD CUP STANDINGS (9 races)

1. Hermann Maier, Austria, 405
2. Hans Knauss, Austria, 308
3. Andreas Schifferer, Austria, 307
4. Bjarne Solbakken, Norway, 273
5. Michael Walchhofer, Austria, 270

7. Miller, 263
10. Rahlves, 211
53T. Thomas Rothrock, Cashmere, Wash., 29
57T. Jake Fiala, Frisco, Colo., 22
61T. Spencer, 20
66T. Bryon Friedman, Park City, Utah, 15
70. Chip Knight, Stowe, Vt., 14
92. Scott Macartney, Redmond, Wash., 5

— Courtesy of US Ski Team