3 cities make cut for '14 Winter Games

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — A traditional Alpine setting in the heart of Europe. A burgeoning winter sports center in east Asia. A lush sea and mountain resort on the Black Sea.

That's the lineup for the 2014 Winter Olympics after the IOC executive board pared the field Thursday to three finalists — Salzburg, Austria; Pyeongchang, South Korea; and Sochi, Russia. Eliminated from the race were Almaty, Kazakhstan; Borjomi, Georgia; Jaca, Spain; and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Salzburg finished first in the IOC's technical ratings and is the clear early front-runner.

While the cut was made by the Olympics' 15-member ruling body, the full 100-plus IOC assembly will select the host city in Guatemala City on July 4, 2007.

The cities making the cut have to pay a $500,000 fee to cover the bidding process and will be required to submit their formal bid books by January 2007.