Stecher hits form on eve of Winter Olympics

Posted: Sunday 31st January 2010 | 20:08

AUSTRIA'S Mario Stecher claimed he is running into form at the exactly the right time after claiming his first nordic combined World Cup event of the season in Seefeld.

GOOD TIMING: Mario Stecher who is looking to upgrade his 2006 Olympic bronze in Vancouver, won his first World Cup event in Seefeld (Getty Images)
GOOD TIMING: Mario Stecher, who is looking to upgrade his 2006 Olympic bronze in Vancouver, won his first World Cup event of the season in Seefeld (Getty Images)

Stecher, a bronze medallist at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, delighted the home crowd with his tenth career win, moving up from ninth after the ski-jump with an impressive performance on the 10km cross country course, which he covered in 25 minutes, 32.8 seconds.

Germany's Eric Frenzel, the winner 24 hours ago, had led until the final two kilometres but was overhauled by fast-finishing Stecher and finished just over a second behind.

Alessandro Pittin completed the podium while World Cup leader, France's Jason Lamy Chappuis, still heads the overall standings, despite skipping the event to focus on next month's Winter Olympics in Vancouver.