Chamonix, France – Swiss Hahnenkamm champion Didier Cuche, 36, continued his January speed reign of the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup Saturday to win the Kandahar downhill in Chamonix by .67 over 21-year-old Dominik Paris of Italy. Austria’s Klaus Kroell was third in 1:59.79. Travis Ganong, of Olympic Valley, Calif., was the top American finisher at 35 as Bode Miller and Ted Ligety both took a planned tour break.nA stomach illness that swept through the U.S. Ski Team men in Europe slowed U.S. entrants Steven Nyman, Ganong and Wiley Maple. Maple, of Aspen, Colo., finished 52nd while Utah’s Nyman earned a DNF. Erik Fisher, of Middleton, Idaho, crossed the finish line in 41st while Spokane, Wash.’s Will Brandenberg completed the race just behind Maple in 51st.

“We’ve had our challenges in Chamonix,” acknowledged U.S. Ski Team head men’s coach, Sasha Rearick. “A gastro virus spread through the Team in 24 hours. It knocked some of the staff members down and unfortunately Steven Nyman, Travis Ganong and Wiley Maple all got it too. We’re washing our hands, drinking plenty of fluids and taking our vitamins. Hopefully we can make it so it doesn’t affect the other members of the Team.”

Rearick expressed relief that Miller and Ligety, two of the U.S. Team’s stronger members, had already left on break ahead of the World Championships. “Bode and Ted are luckily on a little rest break. Bode’s home right now and Ted is in Hinterreit, Austria doing some tech training. Both of those guys will join up with us early next week in Saalbach, Austria for some speed training before we head to Hinterstoder for the last World Cup before World Championships.”

Former Chamonix winner Marco Sullivan is also healing well and hoping to be back for the U.S. Alpine Championship set for Feb. 16 in Aspen, Colo.

The day was even more disappointing for the Canadian squad, as Manuel Osborne-Paradis, of Vancouver, British Columbia, was airlifted to an area hospital after crashing during his run and fracturing his left fibula. It was later confirmed that he tore his left knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) as well, ending his World Cup ski season.

“It’s a confirmed ACL tear,” said Dr. Stephen French, medical co-director for Alpine Canada Alpin. “Plans are being made for him to return to Canada to be assessed by the surgical team. Obviously, this means he will miss the remainder of the season.”

Osborne-Paradis, 26, crashed after one of his skis got caught on the famous Verte course. He was initially taken to a nearby hospital in Chamonix.

“Our thoughts are with him,” said Erik Guay, of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, who was the top Canadian finisher on Saturday tied for 19th. “It’s tough any time somebody goes down.”

Ben Thomsen, of Invermere, B.C., was the other Canadian competing in Saturday’s downhill. He finished 43rd after starting 49th.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Chamonix, France – Jan. 29, 2011
Downhill

1. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 1:58.91
2. Dominik Paris, Italy, 1:59.58
3. Klaus Kroell, Austria, 1:59.79