Universal Sports Network will close out 2011 and ring in 2012 by showcasing American elite skiers Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, Ted Ligety and Bode Miller competing against the world’s best during stops in Lienz, Austria (Dec. 28-29), Bormio, Italy (Dec. 29) and Zagreb, Croatia (Jan. 3, Jan. 5). Coverage in Lienz, Austria begins Wednesday, December 28 at Noon ET with Women’s Giant Slalom and continues Thursday, December 29 at 2 p.m. ET with the Women’s Slalom. Also on Thursday, December 29, the men will compete in Bormio, Italy in the Downhill at 11 a.m. ET. Coverage continues in the New Year on Tuesday, January 3 at 11:30 a.m. ET and Thursday, January 5 at 11 a.m. ET with the Women’s Slalom and Men’s Slalom, respectively, LIVE from Zagreb, Croatia. The U.S. skiers continue to turn in strong performances on the World Cup circuit, with Vonn continuing to build the buzz on her strong season, most recently finishing eighth in the Slalom in Flachau, Austria and holding an impressive 230 point lead in the overall World Cup standings. Teammate Mancuso is currently eighth in the standings. In addition, two American men hold top 10 spots in the standings with Ligety, currently third, finishing fourth in the Giant Slalom in Alta Badia, Italy, and Miller, holding the seventh spot, boosted by a second place finish in the Super G in Val Gardena, Italy. Austrian Marcel Hirscher leads the men’s standings and has emerged as the athlete to beat on the circuit.