Rahlves has to hold back his opponents

ADELBODEN, Switzerland – The World Cup circuit’s technical specialists will attempt to knock Daron Rahlves off the top of the overall standings this weekend.

Rahlves became the unexpected overall leader last week, posting his second downhill victory of the season in Bormio, Italy. After 16 races, Rahlves has 489 points to American teammate Bode Miller’s 471.

Gate experts Benjamin Raich and Hermann Maier of Austria, as well as allrounder Miller, could unseat Rahlves when giant slalom and slalom races are run on the treacherous Chuenisbaergli course.

Even if Rahlves doesn’t compete in Sunday’s slalom, he could still pad his advantage in today’s giant slalom.

Formerly a speed specialist, Rahlves began to show podium potential in a third discipline last season, crossing third in the opening run of the giant slalom here.

He then looked on the verge of recording his first career win in the discipline, leading at the final interval of the second run. But he lost control on the steep final pitch, hitting a bump at an estimated 45 mph, and cartwheeling into a full backward somersault.

Italian Massimiliano Blardone took the victory, ahead of Miller and Kalle Palander of Finland. Rahlves walked away, but the accident hampered his World Cup downhill title campaign, his bruises and sore muscles keeping him out of action for the following week’s action.

But the Chuenisbaergli appeals to Rahlves, known for his love of “gnarly” courses. The steepest and most spectacular giant slalom course on the tour, the Chuenisbaergli boasts some of the most spectacular and technically demanding passages.

The traditional Chuenisbaergli is one of the classics among the alpine ski events, with races staged here 10 years before the creation of the World Cup circuit.

With the Turin Winter Olympics just a month away, competition will be tight as skiers attempt to solidify their chances of being selected for their national teams.

Blardone will be looking to repeat, while Palander, who won the previous year but has struggled this season, will want to break through here.

Maier, a three-time giant slalom winner here, also will be looking to beef up a slightly disappointing season so far.

Miller, another favorite whose results have not matched last year’s, is returning from a trip to North America following the downhill in Bormio, where he had a spectacular crash in training.

Speculation in Austrian newspapers of Miller flying home to undergo secret emergency knee surgery was dismissed by U.S. team officials, who said he went home for his own reasons, not for any medical procedure.

An interview with the 28-year-old Miller will air on a “60 Minutes” segment Sunday. He will talk about the Olympics, his partying and drinking.