Neureuther wins Kitzbuehel SL

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) - Felix Neureuther of Germany won a men's World Cup slalom race Sunday for his first career victory.

The 25-year-old Neureuther finished in a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 37.35 seconds on the icy Ganslern course. It was the first World Cup victory by a German man since Alois Vogl won a slalom five years ago in Wengen, Switzerland.

"I have been fighting for this for such a long time. I desperately wanted my first win," Neureuther said. "It has not been an easy season for me, I was down mentally but kept fighting. I got a new pair of skies and they are really great."

Last year's winner, Julien Lizeroux of France, was 0.39 seconds back in second. Giuliano Razzoli in Italy was third, 0.99 behind.

Austria's Reinfried Herbst, who led after the opening run, came to a standstill after almost missing a gate and finished 7.83 back.

"It feels the same like last year," said Herbst, who also squandered a commanding lead in the 2009 Kitzbuehel slalom in his second run. "It's bitter, but I am happy that the next slalom in Schladming is only two days away."

Herbst needed treatment for a sore back before the race but said his physical problems did not affect his second run.

"No, I felt OK before the start," Herbst said. I don't know what exactly went wrong."

Ivica Kostelic of Croatia came seventh to win the classic combined title after Saturday's downhill.

Slalom world champion Manfred Pranger was one of the few rivals who could keep up with Herbst's pace in the opening leg, but he straddled a gate halfway down his second run.

Miller skipped the race to rest a sore ankle that hurt too much after pre-race warmups. The U.S. ski team said the American was expected to start at a night slalom in nearby Schladming on Tuesday.

Miller hurt the same ankle during a game of volleyball in December at Val d'Isere, France.

"Bode wanted to ski fast in Wengen, in Kitzbuehel and at the Olympics," U.S. team spokesman Doug Haney said. "So now he is obviously building up towards Vancouver."