World Cup points leader Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) grabbed a podium spot, fattened his lead and broke up an Austrian run to the top places Saturday, finishing third in the 75th Lauberhorn downhill.

Michael Walchhofer of Austria won the classic, the longest DH on the World Cup tour, with a time of 2:27.05, just .09 ahead of teammate Christoph Gruber with Miller third in 2:27.23.

After 21 races, Miller has 1,048 points with Austrian Benjamin Raich, who did not race in the Lauberhorn, second at 790. Walchhofer is No. 1 in the DH standings (431) with Miller second (378); Miller, the only skier to race in every World Cup since the start of the 2003 season, also is the giant slalom and super G leader.

Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA), fifth in the overall points and looking ahead to Kitzbuehel and the Hahnenkamm downhill in another week, did not race while resting following a jarring mid-race crash in a giant slalom Tuesday in Adelboden. Jake Fiala (Frisco, CO) finished 34th and J.J. Johnson (Park City, UT) was 39th.

"This is a long, tough course," said Miller, who straddled a gate Friday in the world Cup's first one-day combined event won by Raich. "I'm psyched after [Friday]...

"It was actually good [Friday] because I skied so badly, and if I'd gotten a result with skiing that badly, it would have been the wrong message," Miller said. "So, in a way, I was punished - and in my mind, that's a good message - and now to get back and have some good feedback is better."

He added, "This was a perfect day, just the way you want it to be. The last few [downhills] we've had have been crappy conditions - too much wind, whatever...but this was perfect."

The men run slalom Sunday before heading to Kitzbuehel, Austria, for the annual Hahnenkamm festivities, the final weekend before the World Championships open Jan. 29 in Bormio, Italy. The schedule for the 64th Hahnenkamm Weekend: super G Friday, downhill Saturday, slalom and combined calculation Sunday.

MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
75TH Lauberhorn
Wengen, SUI - Jan. 15, 2005
Men's Downhill

1. Michael Walchhofer, Austria, 2:27.05
2. Christoph Gruber, Austria, 2:27.14
3. Bode Miller, Franconia, N.H., 2:27.23
4. Hermann Maier, Austria, 2:27.67
5. Werner Franz, Austria, 2:27.77

34. Jake Fiala, Frisco, Colo., 2:30.57
39. J.J. Johnson, Park City, Utah, 2:31.29

— Courtesy of US Ski Team