Herbst wins Alta Badia slalom

Of course, I trained well this summer but these two victories are beyond my expectations. It's really a fantastic start to the season.

Austria's Reinfried Herbst claimed his second win of the season in the men's World Cup slalom here on Monday ahead of Swiss Silvan Zurbriggen and Austria's Manfred Pranger.

Herbst, the Olympic runner-up in 2006, finished 0.08sec ahead of Zurbriggen with Pranger at 0.17, to secure the seventh success of his career.

The 31-year-old won the season opener on November 15 at Levi, Finland.

- I was surprised by my victory at Levi, here I came to win - said Herbst.

- Of course, I trained well this summer but these two victories are beyond my expectations. It's really a fantastic start to the season. -

Austria's Benjamin Raich holds the overall World Cup lead despite failing to finish the second run. He finished third in the first run behind Pranger and Herbst respectively.

Zurbriggen achieved his first podium since the slalom at Sestriere, Italy in December 2004.

- It's a surprise, but I knew I was skiing very fast. I'm really happy to have achieved the best time of the second run - said Zurbriggen, who skipped the downhill at Val Gardena to concentrate on his best discipline.

- I won't race in the downhill in Bormio (December 29) to prepare for the six slaloms in January as well as the super-combined at Wengen and combined at Kitzbuhel. -

Pranger added - I really appreciate this podium because I had a particularly difficult start to the season after my back operation in April.

- Under such circumstances a podium is a good result. Of course I was leading after the first leg. But it was really close. -