Ivica Kostelic wins super combi, injures knee

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Ivica Kostelic captured his second consecutive World Cup super-combined title with a victory Sunday on the 2014 Sochi Olympics course, then hobbled off with a right knee injury that may require surgery.

The Croatian was in visible pain during the victory celebration, using his ski poles like crutches and struggling onto the podium on the verge of tears while sister Janica looked on crying.

"You saw he could not walk," Croatia team spokesman Vedran Pavlek said. "He could not extend his knee."

Moving up from 15th after the downhill leg, Kostelic put down the fastest slalom run for a combined time of 2 minutes, 50.21 seconds. He pumped his fist when he crossed the finish line, but then the pain set in.

Kostelic was injured during the initial portion of the slalom and was undergoing an MRI exam, after which a decision will be made on whether surgery is needed, Pavlek said.

All of the Americans entered went out in the slalom run. Bode Miller was fourth after the downhill portion but failed to make a gate on the top, while Ted Ligety and Will Brandenburg straddled on the bottom.

This was Kostelic's sixth win this season and the 24th of his career. He also now has five crystal globes for World Cup titles — one large one from last season's overall victory and four smaller ones for discipline titles, two in super-combi and two in slalom.

Beat Feuz of Switzerland dropped from first after the downhill leg to finish second, 1.16 seconds behind, and Thomas Mermillod Blondin of France was third, 1.77 back.

Feuz won the downhill Saturday and would have won the super-combined title if he had also won this race. Now, depending on Kostelic's status, Feuz could be poised to win the overall World Cup title.

With six more stops on the circuit this season, Kostelic holds a 70-point lead over Feuz in the overall standings, with Austria's Marcel Hirscher third, 218 points back.

Kostelic won the super-combi title with 336 points, 36 ahead of Feuz.

"I'm very sorry for Ivica," Feuz said. "I really hope it's not so bad and that he's able to join us again soon. He's a great champion and I hope he's not in too much pain."

In his downhill run, Feuz soared into the air for about 80 yards off the Rosa Khutor slope's biggest jump, landing outside the blue paint that outlines the course.