Svindal leads after downhill run in World Cup combined event
WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) Aksel Lund Svindal was fastest in the downhill portion of a World Cup combined event on Friday.
The Norwegian was .72 seconds faster than Adrien Theaux of France on the shorter 2.7-kilometer (1.67-mile) Lauberhorn course used for combined.
Hannes Reichelt of Austria and Kjetil Jansrud of Norway were tied for third, with .90 to make up on Svindal in the afternoon slalom run.
Alexis Pinturault of France was well-placed among the slalom specialists, trailing 2.53 seconds behind in 24th place.
Svindal rarely races slalom but is a two-time world champion in combined.
Beat Feuz of Switzerland was 10th fastest, 1.55 behind, in his first World Cup race this season after injury. Feuz said he will start in Saturday's classic downhill, which he won in 2012.
