Sara Hector from Sweden came in second ahead of Michelle Gisin from Switzerland. Ramona Siebenhofer missed a possible podium with a gross blunder and was eighth as the best Austrian in the absence of Katharina Liensberger.
Shiffrin laid the foundation for her 72nd World Cup victory in the first course, flagged by ÖSV coach Stefan Kornberger, with a good start number and an aggressive drive. 0.74 seconds ahead (on the Swiss Gisin) had not been seen in the GS for several years. Only Gisin was less than a second behind Shiffrin after race one.
Ultimately, even as the 30th and last starter, the US Olympic champion left nothing to burn in the decision, despite the already battered slope. She already had a lead of 1.53 seconds in the decision, but then drove the race to the end in a measured manner. Shiffrin had already won the Sölden RTL and the home slalom in Killington in the Olympic winter. The giant slalom there was canceled due to the wind and will be rescheduled in Courchevel on Wednesday.
After two Italian successes – in 2019 Federica Brignone and last year also Marta Bassino, who was eliminated this time in race one – a year ago she achieved her first victory here after the death of her father Jeff and is of course the top favorite again on Wednesday. Shiffrin is and remains the record winner in the French luxury resort, where she has now won six World Cup races. In no other place is the 26-year-old as successful as in Courchevel.
Goggia was eliminated
Because the half-time tenth Sofia Goggia was eliminated in the second round, Shiffrin, like Odermatt, who won the giant slalom by over a second in Alta Badia the day before, is now also leading in the overall World Cup ranking. After seven successful speed races in a row, Goggia lost her overall lead in the first race of a block of eight technology events in a row that went up to the Flachau slalom on January 11th.
Positive Corona-Tests
After Liensberger like Lara Gut-Behrami and Alice Robinson had to skip the France races due to a positive Corona test, five Austrians made the 30s decision. Among them Siebenhofer, Brunner and Katharina Truppe in the top 15. Franziska Gritsch, who returned to the team, missed the final by four hundredths in 32nd place. Katharina Huber, who made it 27th despite the high number 53, was eliminated in the second run.
Brunner fell to 14th place after a fierce but multiple faulty run and thus also behind compatriot Truppe (11th). Things went a little “better” for Siebenhofer. As half-time ninth, the Styrian was sovereign in the decision for a long time and, given the large time gaps, possibly even on the way to the podium. But then she overlooked a blow in the slope and after her mistake with only 18th running time gambled away all chances of a clear improvement.
Source: Nachrichten
