Alpine skiing-Switzerland's Von Allmen wins last race before Olympics

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland, Feb 1 - Switzerland's Franjo Von Allmen won the last Alpine skiing World Cup race before the Milano Cortina Olympics with his second downhill victory of the season on home snow in Crans-Montana on Sunday.

The reigning downhill world champion and last year's winner on the Piste Nationale started 15th and beat Italy's early leader Dominik Paris by a hefty 0.65 of a second.

Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States finished third and back on the podium for the first time since December.

Overall World Cup leader and big Swiss medal hope Marco Odermatt was fourth.

The Swiss-Italian rivalry was highlighted by Switzerland having five skiers finish in the top 10 and Italy four, with only Cochran-Siegle crashing the party.

The showcase men's downhill in Bormio will provide the first medals of the Olympic Alpine competition next Saturday, a day after the opening ceremony. Training starts on Wednesday.

Von Allmen is second to Odermatt in the downhill standings, 115 points behind his compatriot after six of nine races.

Odermatt has won three downhills so far with Italian rising star Giovanni Franzoni, only 23rd on Sunday, triumphant in Kitzbuehel last month. REUTERS