Lindsey Vonn defeated by .01 seconds in World Cup super-combined

Swiss skier Lara Gut beat American Lindsey Vonn by .01 seconds to win a thrilling World Cup super-combined race on Friday and deprive Vonn of a fifth straight win.

Vonn led after the morning's downhill section, with Gut .38 behind in second place. But after Gut beat Michaela Kirchgasser's leading mark to take the race lead, the pressure was on Vonn.

Even though slalom is not her strongest discipline, Vonn was .01 down at the first and second time splits on the Oreiller Killy course.

"It's more exciting when I have a bigger lead and I don't have to be stressed out in slalom. I didn't know the splits so I was just fighting all the way to the finish," Vonn said. "Lara definitely did a really good job in slalom and had a very good performance in downhill. She really deserved the win."

After going so close, Vonn playfully punched Gut at the finish area.

"I knew I had to ski fast in slalom and I would have a chance. I've been training a bit more in slalom this summer and it worked out," Gut said. "I love being in Val d'Isere. I was racing here in my first world champs in 2009. It feels like home."

It was Gut's second win of the season after winning a giant slalom last month in Aspen, Colorado, the 14th of her career and 22nd podium overall.

"I was strong in the top section," Gut said. "I fell asleep in the middle and then woke up and carried on working."

Vonn still has a healthy overall lead with 480 points, with Gut's win pushing her up to second place, 102 points behind.

"Everything can go so fast. The season is so long and anything is possible," Gut said. "The best thing is to try and be fast and not think too much about the overall."

There is a downhill on Saturday. Vonn won here last year, and secured her first ever downhill win at Val d'Isere 10 years ago.

Vonn felt she should have done better in the downhill.

"The course was dark and fresh when I went and I was a little bit passive in some sections," she said. "I definitely feel I have another gear to push myself to. I feel I haven't reached the limit yet and I can really push it tomorrow."

Vonn has won 71 races, a women's record, but only two of those were in slalom, and the last was in 2009.

"I didn't see her slalom skiing in four years, but Lindsey is always a racer so you never know," said Kirchgasser, who has won two World Cup slaloms. "Normally, when she has a chance for victory she takes it, but not today. Lara did very well."​