U.S.-born Atle Lie McGrath takes World Cup slalom win from Olympic champion Clément Noël

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ALTA BADIA, Italy (AP) — U.S.-born Atle Lie McGrath edged out Olympic champion Clément Noël to claim victory in a World Cup slalom Monday.

In the last World Cup race before Christmas, Noël had been first after the morning run but let his lead slip early in his second go at the Gran Risa course.

McGrath, who skis for Norway, finished 0.30 seconds ahead of Noël and 0.39 faster than third-placed Loïc Meillard, the world champion. McGrath took silver behind Meillard in February.

“I am so incredibly happy. This feels absolutely insane,” said McGrath, who said he wasted a winning chance in slalom one month ago by placing third at Gurgl, Austria.

In the finish area, he did his now-trademark gesture of kicking off his right ski end-over-end then catching it, in the style of Swiss former downhill great Didier Cuche.

McGrath now has four career wins on the World Cup circuit, all in slalom where he also has six runner-up finishes.

The 25-year-old Vermont-born Norwegian shapes as a strong medal contender in slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics, scheduled Feb. 16 in Bormio.

McGrath’s father Felix competed for the U.S. at the 1988 Calgary Olympics in slalom and giant slalom.

“My skiing at the moment is good and it’s going to be even better in January,” Noël said, adding that he looked forward to “good food, good wine” with his family over the holidays.

Timon Haugan retained his lead in the season-long World Cup slalom standings after placing fourth, 0.53 behind his Norway teammate McGrath.

Haugan rose in the World Cup overall standings to a distant second behind four-time defending champion Marco Odermatt, who does not race slalom.

Odermatt's nearest challenger had been Marco Schwarz, who failed to finish Monday's race after winning the classic giant slalom Sunday.

The next men’s World Cup race also is in Italy on Saturday, a super-G at Livigno. That is close to Bormio, which will stage all the men's Alpine races at the Olympics.

McGrath rarely races super-G and said he also plans to do some cross-country skiing before his next World Cup event. A slalom is scheduled Jan. 7 at Madonna di Campiglio, also in Italy.

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