Lara Gut-Behrami reigns supreme and wins third World Cup event in Solden – ‘It’s amazing to win here’

Lara Gut-Behrami became just the second skier to win three World Cup events at Solden with her season-opening giant slalom triumph.

The Swiss star had previously won at the same venue in 2013 and 2016 and marked the resort’s 30th anniversary as a World Cup host by returning to the top step of the podium.

Gut-Behrami was fourth after the first run but went on the attack second time around and her overall time of 2:18.94 left her 0.02 seconds clear of Federica Brignone.

“It’s amazing to win here,” she said.

“Yesterday when I drew number 1, I was really happy, but in the morning I was a little bit nervous.

“It was the first time to me to start the season as the first one starting. And I paid for that a little bit in the first run.

“The second run, I felt again that everything was normal and I could do what I wanted.”

Brignone admitted to frustration after letting her lead at the halfway stage slip and said: “The second run I was really stressed.

“I’m not happy with myself because I didn’t do the best I could do. In the first run I could ski really relaxed and in the second run I wasn’t and thought: ‘you don’t win races like this.’

Petra Vlhova claimed the final podium spot ahead of Sara Hector and Marta Bassino, with Mikaela Shiffrin in sixth.

“It’s good to start with a podium in the first race of the season, but of course I could be a little bit higher on the podium,” Vlhova said.