SOLDEN, Austria: France’s Alexis Pinturault won Sunday’s giant slalom at Soelden that kicked off the World Cup season, edging out Austria’s Marcel Hirscher.
Pinturault, 25, had been the quickest in the morning’s first run, laying the foundations for an eventual victory by seven tenths of a second from home star Hirscher, the reigning overall World Cup champion and champion in the discipline.
Felix Neureuther of Germany came third, 1.37secs behind Pinturault, whose winning overall time was 2min 14.01secs.
It was a 16th career win for Pinturault, one more than his illustrious compatriot Jean-Claude Killy.
“To win on such a difficult piste, at the start of the season, is obviously important,” Pinturault said.
“There is no strategy in alpine skiing, you just go all out. So on the second run, even if the visibility was not the best, my only solution was to give it everything.”
Pinturault’s showing earned him praise from rival Hirscher, who has dominated the World Cup in recent years.
“With what he showed today, he is now the favorite,” Hirscher declared.
On his return from a knee injury at a venue where he has won four times before, American three-time giant slalom world champion Ted Ligety came in fifth.
Pinturault, 25, had been the quickest in the morning’s first run, laying the foundations for an eventual victory by seven tenths of a second from home star Hirscher, the reigning overall World Cup champion and champion in the discipline.
Felix Neureuther of Germany came third, 1.37secs behind Pinturault, whose winning overall time was 2min 14.01secs.
It was a 16th career win for Pinturault, one more than his illustrious compatriot Jean-Claude Killy.
“To win on such a difficult piste, at the start of the season, is obviously important,” Pinturault said.
“There is no strategy in alpine skiing, you just go all out. So on the second run, even if the visibility was not the best, my only solution was to give it everything.”
Pinturault’s showing earned him praise from rival Hirscher, who has dominated the World Cup in recent years.
“With what he showed today, he is now the favorite,” Hirscher declared.
On his return from a knee injury at a venue where he has won four times before, American three-time giant slalom world champion Ted Ligety came in fifth.
