‘An amazing race’ – Federica Brignone beats Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova to giant slalom gold at Mont Tremblant

Italy’s Federica Brignone claimed her first giant slalom World Cup victory of the season in Tremblant, Canada.

The 33-year-old stood atop the podium just once last season, but a roaring first run perfectly placed Brignone on top, on a foggy Mont Tremblant which has not hosted a World Cup ski race in 40 years.

Brignone posted an overall time of 2:14.95 minutes and held on for gold after a leading time of 1:08.44 in her first run.

This victory for Brignone takes her onto 22 World Cup wins, and draws her level with compatriot Sofia Goggia for the most victories for an Italian woman.

Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova stole silver spoils from Mikaela Shiffrin, who claimed her 140th career podium with bronze.

Sweden’s Olympic champion Sara Hector was in second position after the first run, but fell to fourth as Vlhova and Shiffrin catapulted themselves ahead on the second chance.

It was a memorable day for Brignone, who recovered from the disappointment of finishing second to Lara Gut-Behrami in the season-opener in Solden, Austria.

This win for Brignone means she becomes the oldest women’s World Cup giant slalom winner since Austria’s Anita Wachter, who was 32 for her victory back in 1999.

“I’m really excited, it was really, really an amazing race.

“In Solden actually it was totally a surprise to be so far ahead in the first run and I completed blocked myself.

“Before the second run I couldn’t even move and warm up, I wanted to puke, I felt really bad and my legs were not moving.

“Today I felt better. I wanted just to concentrate on my skiing and I did it and that’s so great.”

Despite the victory, it is Shiffrin who leads the way in the overall standings with 410 points – 64 clear of Vlhova.

The American was victorious in Killington last time out, where Brignone finished second.

Shiffrin is heading towards a century of World Cup victories after claiming her 90th win in Killington last week.

She surpassed Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time tally of 86 last season, having already broken Lindsey Vonn’s record women’s tally of 82.

Shiffrin was the overall winner of the giant slalom globe last season, and took her career tally in the discipline to 21 to set a new record.