WENGEN, Switzerland (Jan. 16) - Germany's Alois Vogl was the surprise winner Sunday in slalom at Wengen, concluding the 75th Lauberhorn Weekend, while World Cup leader Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) missed a gate on his second run. Top American was Tom Rothrock (Cashmere, WA) in 12th place with Erik Schlopy (Park City, UT) 24th.

"It wasn't a total breakdown of the machine," U.S. Head Coach Phil McNichol said, "but it's certainly not indicative of how our guys can ski. It was a tough day.

"Wengen is one of the hardest - if not the hardest, along with Schladming [Austria] - slalom hills on the tour...and it's a little disappointing," he said, "to see so many top guys go out. That's slalom, but [Austrian Rainer] Schoenfelder and [Italian Giorgio Rocca] and the others...that second course-set was very demanding. They hit every single angle that could have been put into that course...but, that's also slalom, part of the competition, but you also like to see the best guys finish..."

Vogl won his first World Cup and ended a 14-year slalom victory drought for Germany with a two-run time of 1:35.38 with Croatian Ivica Kostelic second in 1:35.59. Rothrock's time was 1:36.70 and Schlopy finished in 1:39.98.

"Bode had a good first run, but he's still struggling a bit in slalom," McNichol said. "The lack of slalom training isn't any mystery and we knew it could lead to problems, and it has. We'll do some more training heading in Kitzbuehel next weekend."

In the final weekend before the World Championships open Jan. 29 in Bormio, Italy, the men race super G Friday, have the 65th Hahnenkamm downhill Saturday and slalom Sunday with a combined calculation.

MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
75th Lauberhorn Weekend
Wengen, SUI - Jan. 16, 2005
Men's Slalom

1. Alois Vogl, Germany, 1:35.38
2. Ivica Kostelic, Croastia, 1:35.59
3. Benjamin Raich, Austria, 1:35.84
4. Manfred Pranger, Austria, 1:35.98
5. Markus Larsson, Sweden, 1:36.09

12. Tom Rothrock, Cashmere, Wash., 1:36.70
24. Erik Schlopy, Park City, Utah, 1:39.98

DNF-2:
Bode Miller, Franconia, N.H.

Did not qualify for 2nd run:
Ted Ligety, Park City, Utah; Jesse Marshall, Pittsfield, Vt.; Chip Knight, Stowe, Vt.

DNF-1:
Jimmy Cochran, Keene, N.H.; Paul McDonald, Bellevue, Wash.

— Courtesy of US Ski Team