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GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Hannes Reichelt was quickest again in the final training session Friday for a World Cup downhill on the demanding Kandahar slope.
The Austrian, who was also fastest in Thursday's opening session, clocked 1 minute, 58.66 seconds to beat downhill leader Kjetil Jansrud of Norway by 0.32 seconds. Johan Clarey of France was 0.67 behind in third.
"It gives you confidence to be leading in both the first and second training sessions," said Reichelt, the super-G world champion who is looking for his 10th career World Cup victory.
Steven Nyman of the United States was fourth, 0.75 behind. Adrien Theaux of France was fifth.
Olympic downhill champion Matthias Mayer did not start because of a cold. The Austrian is looking for three in a row after triumphing in both the downhill and super-G last weekend in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
World downhill champion Patrick Kueng of Switzerland was unharmed after a minor crash.
The downhill race is scheduled for Saturday with a super-G on Sunday.
Jansrud hopes to take advantage of overall World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher's absence - the Austrian technical specialist doesn't race downhill - to narrow the gap in the overall standings.
"I'm very satisfied to be second in both days in training; it's important for the weekend," the Norwegian said. "Of course I have my eye on the whole World Cup. We'll see what I can do here."
Jansrud could theoretically seal the downhill title on Saturday, depending on his closest challenger, Dominik Paris.
"I'll give it everything," said the Italian, aiming for his first downhill World Cup win since November 2013 in Lake Louise, Canada.
World Cup races have been held on the Kandahar course annually since 1970, though last year's events were canceled because of a lack of snow.
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