Summary:
Skiing's "beautiful" slalom champion says he is a step closer to a Winter Olympics medal after winning the World Cup event in Austria.

Full article:
(CNN) -- The beauty of skiing was on display on the final day at the World Cup event in Wengen as Alexis Pinturault claimed some big scalps to win the men's slalom. The Frenchman flew down a near flawless second run to beat Germany's Felix Neureuther and world champion Marcel Hirscher, favorite for next month's Winter Olympic title. "At the moment, there's a very good standard in slalom and giant slalom and when you win, victory is beautiful," Pinturault told reporters. "I finished ahead of a world gold and silver medallist, it's true. But in slalom, it's never just anyone. There are only big names, top skiers. Therein lies the beauty of skiing." The alpine event is one of the most hotly-anticipated at the looming Sochi Games with 15 skiers rated as potential medallists. American Olympic super-combined champion Bode Miller, however, did not mark his card ahead of the Olympics as he finished a lowly 26th in the race in the Swiss Alps. The women's World Cup downhill and super-G events in the Italian Dolomites resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo were canceled because of heavy snow. The events will now be held Wednesday to Sunday as the skiers try to find form ahead of the Winter Olympics.