By Brian Homewood

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (Reuters) - Switzerland's Carlo Janka went back to the top of the overall World Cup standings by winning a thrilling downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in which 0.07 seconds separated the top four.

The Olympic giant slalom gold medalist beat Austria's Mario Scheiber by 0.02 seconds to set off a cacophony of cowbells and rattles among the Swiss fans and overhaul Benjamin Raich, who did not race, in the standings

Erik Guay of Canada and Patrick Kueng of Switzerland finished joint third.

Janka's win meant Austria's men completed the season without winning a downhill race. Swiss Didier Cuche won the World Cup downhill category with a race to spare in Kvitfjell last Saturday.

Olympic downhill champion Didier Defago finished 13th, following his 14th place at Kvitfjell.

Janka is 54 points ahead of Austrian slalom specialist Raich with three races to go this week, all at Garmisch -- the Super G, slalom and giant slalom.

"This is crazy, you surely need some luck to win that race with such a small margin," Janka, aiming to become the first Swiss to win the overall World Cup since Paul Accola in 1992, told reporters.

"My start number was definitely an advantage but to win you need a little bit of luck.

"This race was really tight and I was the lucky one when it came down to the hundredths. I knew I had to do well today because in the technical events, I'll be behind Benjamin.

"I didn't feel so fast in the upper part of the course so I fought harder at the bottom."

"I'll need to do well again tomorrow in the Super-G race because Raich can for sure score more points than me in the technical events.

Olympic super combined winner Bode Miller skipped the meeting because of an ankle injury he suffered during a team volleyball match at Val D'Isere earlier in the season.

(Editing by Alison Wildey)