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KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia -- Felix Neureuther overcame a pre-Olympic car crash to win a World Cup slalom on Sunday, giving himself pole position in the fight for the seasons discipline title. Neureuther beat Fritz Dopfer for a German 1-2 finish, and overtook Marcel Hirscher on top of the slalom standings by five points with one race remaining. On his way to Munich airport for his flight to Sochi on Feb. 14, Neureuther suffered whiplash as he lost control of his car on an icy road and hit the barrier. "I was in the best shape of my life when the car accident happened," Neureuther said. "The whole body was hurting. I couldnt ski at my top level at the Olympics. I was very disappointed. That was the most difficult time of my life." Starting as a medal contender, Neureuther came eighth in the GS and failed to finish his second run of the slalom at the Olympics. "The last couple of weeks have been brutal," the German said. "But I kept on fighting and today is the reward for that. I came back and I am very proud of that." Neureuther finished in a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 45.50 seconds to lead Dopfer by 0.59. Norwegian teenager Henrik Kristoffersen took third, 0.79 back. Olympic champion Mario Matt of Austria, who led after the first run, straddled a gate near the end of his final run and failed to finish. Hirscher came 0.95 behind Neureuther in fifth. The Austrian has 465 slalom points, just five behind Neureuther on 470. Kristoffersen is third on 430. "It looks pretty good," Neureuther said. "Henrik and Marcel are very close. Its going to be exciting. We will all ski absolutely to our limits." Neureuther said that winning the slalom globe would not make up for missing out on an Olympic medal. "Olympics are every four years," he said. "An Olympic medal is something different, winning a globe means youre the best skier during the whole year." It was Neureuthers seventh career slalom win and he now shares the German record for most World Cup wins in the discipline with Armin Bittner. Two-time defending champion Hirscher went top of the overall standings with 1,050 points, edging Norways Aksel Lund Svindal by just four points and setting up a tense conclusion to the season at next weeks World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. "Something has to change over the next few days," said Hirscher, who was hoping for a larger buffer. "I have to be able to compete at the same level as Aksel again, otherwise I am lost. (Fifth) is better than skiing out but this result is not satisfying." Hirscher admitted he was feeling the pressure. He can become only the fourth skier, and the first Austrian, to win the overall title three years in a row. "I am just not racing as easily as I usually do," Hirscher said. "This was all I could do, more was impossible. I have to admit that. What the other three showed on the hill was different class. How Felix took the steep part, that was the best slalom skiing weve seen all season." Dopfer reached his fourth career World Cup podium but was still waiting for his first win. Like teammate Neureuther, Dopfer bounced back from a disappointing Olympics, where he came fourth in the slalom. "This is my medal," said Dopfer. "My last few slaloms have been really good and this is my reward." Kristoffersen continued his great run that started in January and saw him win his first World Cup race, an Olympic bronze medal, and two junior world titles. And Saturday, he earned his first career podium in GS. "My main goal is for sure to get a better skier," said the 19-year-old Norwegian, who was giving himself an outside chance to grab the slalom title next week. "For sure, now its that close you want more." Ted Ligety, who won a record sixth giant slalom on the same course Saturday, was 2.04 back in 16th. Former overall champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia, who won here last year, finished 2.98 off the lead in 27th. Sundays race was the last event before the World Cup finals start in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Air Max 270 Italia . Following the Ford Womens World Curling Championship gold medal match that attracted record-breaking audiences to TSN, the networks exclusive live coverage of the tournament begins Saturday at 7am et/4am pt with Canadas opening draw against Denmark. Air Max 270 Saldi . -- Ryan Millers debut for the St. http://www.airmax270outlet.it/ .com) - Manchester City will face a steep test in the Champions League knockout stage as the English champions were drawn with Barcelona on Monday. Air Max 270 Prezzo Basso . Cellino was ordered by a judge to pay a 600,000 euro ($800,000) fine for evading import taxes on a yacht he purchased in the United States and brought to Italy, the ANSA news agency reported. Air Max 270 Offerta . Portuguese sides Benfica and Porto also advanced to the last eight while Basel overcame an early red card to win 2-1 at Salzburg and progress from a last-16 second leg that was briefly suspended because of crowd trouble. Lyon, Valencia and AZ Alkmaar will also be in Fridays draw in Nyon, Switzerland, where the team to avoid will be Juventus -- even though the Italian champions made heavy work of their all-Italian last-16 match against Fiorentina.PITTSBURGH -- Pedro Alvarez mashed two home runs that travelled an estimated 831 feet Friday night. It was a series of sprints by the burly Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman, however, that ignited a 12-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Alvarez broke open a close game in the sixth by beating out a potential double play, followed it up with the fifth stolen base of his career then scored with a deft slide around St. Louis catcher Yadier Molinas tag that gave the Pirates the momentum they needed to pull away. "I thought the stolen base was key," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He puts a lot of focus on running the bases and hes arguably one of our best baserunners when hes on." It certainly looked like it, as Alvarezs outstretched left arm slid across the plate a split second before one of the games best defensive catchers could nab him. The Cardinals imploded from there as Shelby Miller (0-1) continued to struggle against Pittsburgh. Miller fell to 0-5 with a 5.92 ERA against the Pirates in his brief career after tying a career-high by allowing five runs in 5 1-3 innings. The right-hander is 16-5 with a 2.34 ERA in his 33 other major league appearances. "Its not the park. Its not the team. I just pitched poorly today," Miller said. "I guess it just lines up that way where I dont pitch well when I face them." Travis Ishikawa added his first major league home run in nearly two years for Pittsburgh. Gerrit Cole (1-0) gave up two runs in seven innings in his first start since losing the deciding Game 5 of the NL division series to St. Louis last October. Six months removed from a taut NLDS that pushed the eventual NL champions to the brink of elimination, the Pirates sent an early message they have no plans of going away. Cole is considered the ace in waiting after a stellar rookie season in which he was arguably Pittsburghs best pitcher over the final six weeks. Eager to take the next step in his development, the 23-year-old kept the Cardinals in check by mixing a fastball that consistently reaches the upper 90s with improved offspeeed stuff.dddddddddddd He also showcased some of his maturity, working out of a bases loaded situation in the fourth by getting Jhonny Peralta to fly out. His only mistake came in the fifth when Carpenter drilled a shot into the right field stands to pull the Cardinals to 3-2. Otherwise he teamed with catcher Russell Martin to keep St. Louis in check. "I think it was just a really well-played ballgame on our part," Cole said. "I cant say enough about what Russ did behind the plate. Not sure there are any other catchers in the entire world that could handle what I threw at him tonight." Pittsburghs offence -- which mustered all of 20 hits in 35 innings of a season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs -- made sure it didnt stay close for long after pounding out 16 hits in eight innings against the NL Central favourites. Alvarez began the year in a 1 for 15 slump but ended that with a home run to the gap in left-centre for his first home run of the season. He added his second two innings later with a long drive to right-centre that travelled an estimated 448 feet. His hustle down the first-base line in the sixth allowed Pittsburghs rally to continue and the Pirates pressed the advantage. Molina committed a rare error after Alvarezs slide, botching a potential rundown at third base when his throw hit Martin in the back and rolled into the stands. The miscue gave the Pirates a 5-2 lead and Pittsburgh poured it on in the late innings. NOTES: Ishikawas solo home run in the fourth was his first since May 15, 2012 while playing for the New York Yankees. ... The start of the game was delayed 1:05 by rain, the third straight game a Cardinals game was delayed by weather. ... Injured Cardinals 2B Mark Ellis is starting baseball activities but it remains uncertain when hell be ready to return from left knee tendinitis. Ellis went on the 15-day DL on March 27 and is eligible to return on April 11. ... The series continues on Saturday. RHP Joe Kelly will make his season debut for the Cardinals against Pittsburghs Francisco Liriano (0-0, 0.00). ' ' '