France's Carole Montillet stunned the women's downhill favourites and powered to one of the most emotional victories of the Winter Olympics today in a time of one minute 39.56 seconds.
Italy's Isolde Kostner, a bronze medallist in 1994 and one of the favourites after a winning start to the winter, picked up the silver in 1:40.01 while Austrian favourite Renate Goetschl took bronze in 1:40.39.
American Picabo Street, the former world champion making her last Olympic appearance and possibly even racing for the last time, gave her all before a fired-up home crowd but finished out of the top 10.
The day was Montillet's, a winner whose achievement was the most fitting tribute imaginable to her fallen team mate Regine Cavagnoud.
Montillet, mother figure for a team grieving the death of the super-G world champion last October, set aside the frustration of repeated weather delays to become France's first women's Olympic downhill champion.
The 28-year-old, who has not won all season but has been a wise counsellor for her team mates since Cavagnoud died in a training accident, laid down an unbeatable time on the Wildflower piste.