Austrian Kriechmayr posts fastest time in downhill training

CHAMONIX, France (AP) Austrian skier Vincent Kriechmayr led the second training run for a World Cup downhill race Thursday, with Steven Nyman of the United States just behind.

Kriechmayr, who secured a second career podium by finishing third in the super-G at the South Korean resort of Jeongseon two weeks ago, clocked 1 minute, 57.59 seconds, despite missing two gates.

He would have been disqualified in a race but his time was allowed to stand because it was only training. An Alpine combined race is scheduled for Friday - downhill in the morning and slalom in the afternoon - followed by a downhill Saturday.

''It's a pity. It should not happen that I miss gates,'' Kriechmayr said. ''But fortunately it's training and I hope it won't happen tomorrow.''

In sunny conditions at the French resort of Chamonix by Mont Blanc, Kriechmayr placed .14 ahead of Nyman and .25 clear of Canada's Erik Guay.

Norway's Kjetil Jansrud was fourth.

Conditions were better than for Wednesday's first training run. With the start time moved forward by one hour, racers benefited from a harder and smoother track.

Nyman, who placed third in the downhill at Jeongseon, made the most of it.

''Today the hill prep was much better. They cleaned off soft snow, so you can actually ski the line you have in vision,'' said the 34-year-old Nyman, who was a lowly 32nd in Wednesday's training. ''Yesterday I was overthinking some sections and, after reviewing video, I knew which areas I had to fix. I skied fairly well all the way down, especially the lower part, and I didn't have big mistakes.''

Jansrud, who won the downhill at Jeongseon to follow up his victory in a combined race last month at the Swiss resort of Wengen, will be looking to climb up the overall World Cup standings.

He is fifth overall and a huge 310 points behind defending overall champion Marcel Hirscher - who is not racing here.

Jansrud's more realistic aims are defending his downhill title - where he is third - and clinching the combined globe ahead of giant slalom expert Alexis Pinturault of France. They are tied on points after two combined races, having both won one and finished 13th in the other.

''Downhill Cup is still tight. Five, six guys still can win,'' said Jansrud, the reigning Olympic downhill bronze medalist, adding that ''Alexis looks in pretty good form.''

Jansrud's form has not been as strong as it was at times last season - he failed to finish the super-G at Jeongseon - but he hopes to improve soon.

''I'm still kind of trailing myself from last year. I'm a little frustrated about super-G in Korea where I went out with a weird mistake I rarely do,'' said the defending World Cup and Olympic super-G champion. ''Some of that consistency I had last year has changed. I have been kind of building my form rather than coming into the season and being fit.''