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Vonn denied by Swiss Aufdenblatten

Aufdenblatten was overjoyed after claiming her maiden World Cup victory in the super-G in France.
Aufdenblatten was overjoyed after claiming her maiden World Cup victory in the super-G in France.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Fraenzi Aufdenblatten claims maiden World Cup win in super-G in Val d'Isere
  • Swiss star relegates Lindsey Vonn to third place but America star extends overall WC lead
  • Max Blardone leads home Italian one-two in World Cup giant slalom at Alta Badia
RELATED TOPICS
  • Skiing

(CNN) -- Fraenzi Aufdenblatten of Switzerland claimed her maiden World Cup win as third-placed Lindsey Vonn of the United States took sole possession of the lead in the overall standings after a super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday.

Adverse weather conditions 24 hours previously had denied Vonn the chance to add to her super-combi win at the French resort on Friday as the downhill was canceled.

Reverting to the super-G, Vonn was beaten into third place behind the Swiss one-two of Aufdenblatten, whose previous best finish was a third place at the Bad Kleinkirchheim downhill in 2006, and Nadia Styger.

The tough Oreiller-Killy piste proved too much for other race favorites as Sweden's Anja Paerson and Frenchwoman Marie Marchand-Arvier both crashed out, but escaped serious injury.

The 28-year-old Aufdenblatten skied a peerless run to finish in one minute 26.43 seconds, with Styger 0.23 seconds back, just edging Vonn for second.

But Vonn finished 18 places ahead of arch-rival Maria Riesch of Germany to lead her by 50 points as she defends her overall title.

In men's World Cup action on Sunday, Max Blardone and Davide Simoncelli gave Italy a one-two in a giant slalom at Alta Badia.

Blardone was fastest on both legs and clocked a two-run time of two minutes 35.76 seconds for his fifth World Cup victory -- all in giant slalom.

Simoncelli finished 0.43 seconds behind witth Cyprien Richard of France completing the podium.

Blardone and Simoncelli had previously finished in the top two spots at the Italian resort in 2005, while Simoncelli won in 2003.

Benjamin Raich of Austria claimed fourth to reclaim the lead in the overall World Cup standings over Carlo Janka, who took 18th.

Raich now has 565 points to Janka's 553.