Thorsen Leads in Combined : Skiing: Norwegian is timed in 1:44.97. U.S.’s Kitt is in 10th place, followed by Rasmussen.

Olympic organizers scheduled only half an event for the Alpine men skiers Monday, and they almost didn’t get that much on the board.

A fairly steady overnight snowfall layered the Bellevarde downhill course with loose powder that had to be packed before the two-day combined event could get under way. The scheduled start at 12:15 p.m. local time was delayed until 2:30, then after American AJ Kitt, skiing 12th, had posted the third-fastest time to that point on the slightly shortened track, there was a half-hour delay while officials deliberated about calling the whole thing off because of fading visibility and deteriorating snow conditions.

The race was resumed, though, and when the smoke had cleared:

Jan Einar Thorsen of Norway held the lead with a time of 1:44.97.

Kitt, timed in 1:46.29, found himself in 10th place, with teammate Kyle Rasmussen of Angels Camp, Calif., 11th, 0.01 seconds behind.

Paul Accola of Switzerland, the World Cup overall leader this season, who had failed to finish the regular downhill Sunday, held perhaps the best position of all, fifth, with a 1:45.73.

Germany’s Markus Wasmeier, who had missed a bronze medal by 0.15 Sunday, stayed within striking distance of Accola by placing seventh in 1:45.91.

Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg made it farther along the course than he had Sunday, but still failed to finish, falling as he came out of the narrow rocky section about three-quarters of the way down. Some observers said he was holding his left shoulder when he got up, but the four-time World Cup overall champion skied down under his own power and there was no report of him receiving medical attention.

Guenther Mader of Austria, bronze medalist in the regular downhill and, like Girardelli, a versatile competitor, skied off the course while entering the same rock-bordered passage and also did not finish.

Except for Girardelli and Mader, this same crew, with supporting cast, will compete here today in a slalom, and medals will be awarded on the basis of the racers’ combined performance for the two days of action.

Kitt, of Rochester, N.Y., who is primarily a downhill specialist, was asked about his ability in the slalom and said: “It’s OK. Maybe I can move up because there are several other downhillers ahead of me. It figures to be rutty out there (for today’s slalom), so I plan to concentrate on just skiing well and finishing the race.”

Kitt, who finished ninth Sunday, said he experienced no mental letdown Monday, adding: “I didn’t ski as well this time, but that was mainly because of the snow. It was different at every turn, and really chopped up in a lot of places. I wouldn’t say it was completely unsafe, but it wasn’t as safe as it could have been.

“At first, we didn’t think the race would be held. Everyone hung around the start shack, watching reruns of the figure skating on TV. So, there was a lot of waiting, and that got a little tiresome.”

Accola, who has been giving Italy’s Alberto Tomba stiff opposition in World Cup slalom and giant slalom races, will be favored to win the slalom today and probably emerge with the best combined score. Tomba skips the combined competition because he prefers not to risk his neck in a downhill race.

Wasmeier, also a strong technical skier, is a good bet to win either the bronze or silver medal today and might defeat Accola for the gold.

However, Accola, who will turn 25 on Feb. 20, said that although it was “very difficult to ski the downhill because it was impossible to see the little bumps,” added: “I am ready for the slalom.”