Didier Cuche took revenge on Erik Guay from last year's Alpine skiing world championships when he won the Garmisch-Partenkirchen World Cup downhill.

On a Kandahar course cut down by a third because of fog at the top, the soon-to-retire Swiss upstaged Canada's Guay, the man who beat him for the gold medal on the same piste last season.

A week after his record fifth victory in the Kitzbuehel downhill, the 37-year-old Cuche was again too strong for the opposition, with a winning time of one minute 9.10 seconds.

Guay was 0.27 seconds adrift for his fourth podium spot on his favourite downhill piste.

Third place went to in-form Austrian Hannes Reichelt, who was second in Wengen two weeks ago.

"It was a liberation to announce my retirement a week ago," said Cuche, who broke the record as the oldest winner of a World Cup race for the third time this season.

"I ski light-hearted now and it's funny to find myself in this position after last year. Yes, it was a bit of a revenge but I almost didn't do anything; my equipment was so good it did most of the job."

Guay, who has been hampered by back problems all season, squandered his chances with a big mistake early in his run.

"I don't think Cuche was beatable anyway but I made this big mistake and I really thought it was over," he said. "I didn't expect to finish that close. It means a lot to me and I guess it does for Didier too."

American Bode Miller had to start in 46th position as a sanction for missing the previous evening's draw.

Miller, the winner in Beaver Creek in December, skied on a badly rutted course and finished outside the top 30.

Sunday's super-G will be held on the same piste.

"It's the same course but it won't be the same race. It should be even more competitive," said Cuche.

Reuters