US double as Ligety takes Soelden GS
Source: Agencies |
October 24, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GIANT slalom world champion and World Cup holder Ted Ligety started his new campaign in style when he won the season curtain-raiser in Soelden, Austria, yesterday.
The American dominated the first leg and controlled the second to bag his ninth World Cup giant slalom victory in two minutes and 22 seconds.
French hopeful Alexis Pinturault, 20, managed his second career podium 0.29 seconds adrift, while Austria's Philipp Shoerghofer was third, 0.51 off the pace.
Ligety had never finished top in Soelden despite three podium places but he did win the first giant slalom of last season in Beaver Creek, Colorado, after the men's race on the Austrian glacier was canceled.
"I knew my giant slalom was going pretty well. It was very dark in the middle section and I had to fight super hard," said the skier from Park City, Utah, who admitted being very tired because of the altitude.
"Soelden is always a good place to start my year. We've been training here so it's like my home base."
The United States team has a deal with Soelden to use the resort's training facilities and it paid off as fellow American Lindsey Vonn won the women's race on Saturday.
The last two overall World Cup winners, Croatia's Ivica Kostelic and Swiss Carlo Janka, finished fifth and fourth respectively, showing they would again be serious contenders.
Austria's Benjamin Raich, who won the overall title in 2006, returned to the circuit after damaging his knee in a crash at the team event during February's world championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
"I didn't have a bad feeling," said Raich, who finished 1.76 back in 19th place. "I slowed down on the steep part but that was what I had expected."
The men's World Cup circuit continues with a slalom in Levi, Finland, on November 13.
The American dominated the first leg and controlled the second to bag his ninth World Cup giant slalom victory in two minutes and 22 seconds.
French hopeful Alexis Pinturault, 20, managed his second career podium 0.29 seconds adrift, while Austria's Philipp Shoerghofer was third, 0.51 off the pace.
Ligety had never finished top in Soelden despite three podium places but he did win the first giant slalom of last season in Beaver Creek, Colorado, after the men's race on the Austrian glacier was canceled.
"I knew my giant slalom was going pretty well. It was very dark in the middle section and I had to fight super hard," said the skier from Park City, Utah, who admitted being very tired because of the altitude.
"Soelden is always a good place to start my year. We've been training here so it's like my home base."
The United States team has a deal with Soelden to use the resort's training facilities and it paid off as fellow American Lindsey Vonn won the women's race on Saturday.
The last two overall World Cup winners, Croatia's Ivica Kostelic and Swiss Carlo Janka, finished fifth and fourth respectively, showing they would again be serious contenders.
Austria's Benjamin Raich, who won the overall title in 2006, returned to the circuit after damaging his knee in a crash at the team event during February's world championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
"I didn't have a bad feeling," said Raich, who finished 1.76 back in 19th place. "I slowed down on the steep part but that was what I had expected."
The men's World Cup circuit continues with a slalom in Levi, Finland, on November 13.
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