Austrian skier Sieber dies in car crash

27 Oct 2012, 2:04 am   -   Source: AAP

Austrian World Cup alpine skier Bjorn Sieber has died in a car crash, aged 23.

FP - The Austrian ski federation says World Cup alpine skier Bjorn Sieber died in a car crash on Friday.

The accident left his brother seriously injured, police in the western Vorarlberg region said.

Sieber was in a van with his brother that left the road and crashed 70 metres down a ravine after swerving to avoid a car, police said, adding that neither man was seemingly wearing a seatbelt and unable to say who was driving.

The 23-year-old Bjorn Sieber wasn't in the team for Sunday's season-opening giant slalom at Soelden in Austria, but was scheduled to be one of the forerunners who test the course before a race.

The federation said Sieber "was one the biggest all-round talents on the Austrian ski team".

Sieber won two medals at world junior championships - silver in giant slalom in 2009 and bronze in super-G the year before.

His best World Cup result was seventh at a super-combined event at Bansko in Bulgaria in February 2011.

AP-AFP aj

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