Skiing: Bonus for Girardelli

TOMAS FOGDOE, of Sweden, won yesterday's World Cup slalom race in Lech, but Marc Girardelli was the day's real winner. The one- man Luxembourg team finished 12th in the race, which was good enough - taken with his sixth in Saturday's downhill - to win him the combined event and extend his overall World Cup lead. Alberto Tomba could manage only third in Austria yesterday and is now a massive 343 points behind.

'Marc is skiing very well and has almost won the World Cup,' Tomba said. 'My main goal for the season is next month's World Championships.'

If he is right Girardelli will become one of the sport's great figures by winning the title for a record fifth time. He was naturally cagey about his chances, though. 'I am very happy with my performances this weekend. But the World Cup still has a way to go,' he said.

Vreni Schneider, the Swiss veteran, picked up the 43rd win of her career in yesterday's slalom at Cortina d'Ampezzo, but Anita Wachter, the Austrian World Cup leader, strengthened her position with seventh in the slalom and first in the combination.