Holdener wins as Vonn falters

Wendy Holdener won a World Cup combined race at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, by a big margin on Friday and set herself up as the favorite for the Olympic gold medal next month.

First-run leader Lindsey Vonn led Holdener by 0.71 seconds after the opening super-G but dropped back to finish fourth in a rare slalom run for the American star.

Holdener, a Swiss slalom specialist, beat Marta Bassino of Italy by 1.55 seconds. Third-place Ana Bucik of Slovenia, who was 30th-fastest in the opening speed run, was 1.56 seconds behind. Chasing her 80th World Cup race victory, Vonn ended 1.88 back.

Mikaela Shiffrin, the overall World Cup leader from the United States, skipped the race to focus on scheduled weekend events in giant slalom and slalom. In other news: • Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea of the United States won the gold medal in the pairs event of the Four Continents at Taipei, Taiwan. The Americans were third after the short program but won the free skate to finish with a total of 194.42 points ahead of compatriots Ashley Cain and Timothy Leduc, who were second with 190.61. North Korean skaters Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik won the bronze medal with 184.98 points. Ryom and Kim are among 22 North Korean athletes invited to compete at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month. World Junior bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto led a Japanese sweep in the women’s free skate. Sakamoto skated elegantly to gold with 214.21 points, while 2017 Four Continents champion Mai Mihara took the silver with 210. 57,and 2016 Four Continents champion Satoko Miyahara settled for bronze with 207.02.