Cuche finishes second in Garmisch

Didier Cuche has scored another podium finish in the lead-up to the Olympics Keystone

Switzerland's Didier Cuche has recorded another strong World Cup result, finishing second in Saturday's super-G race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

With the Salt Lake City Games just two weeks away, Cuche seems to be peaking at the right time. The reigning Olympic super-G silver medallist may have finished half a second behind Austria’s Fritz Strobl, but more importantly, he was in front of another Austrian, Stefan Eberharter, who has dominated this season’s speed events.

“It’s the kind of result I thought I could get here,” said Cuche. “But I’ve been a chasing a victory for so long in super-G that I’m starting to get fed up.”

It was also good news for Didier Defago, who finished fifth, his second-best result in the discipline after a fourth in Norway last March. Two other Swiss finished in the points, with Tobias Grünenfelder 15th and Paul Accola 23rd.

Cuche, with his third super-G podium finish this season, is now second in the rankings and fourth in the overall standings.

In Cortina d’Ampezzo, Switzerland’s Sylviane Berthod finished sixth in Saturday’s women’s downhill, less than a second behind the winner, Austria’s Renate Goetschl.

The Austrian won her 21st World Cup race in the Italian resort, making up for her disappointment after finished second in Friday’s super-G race. Second and third were Italy’s Isolde Kostner and Daniela Ceccarelli.

Berthod’s sixth place was completed a good overall Swiss performance in a race were the top 12 all finished within the same second. Corinne Rey-Bellet was eighth, Catherine Borghi 14th and Tamara Müller finished 29th.

Berthod remains third in the downhill World Cup.

swissinfo with agencies