Hirscher leads after 1st run of World Cup giant slalom

By foxsports
Published

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) No surprise, Austrian Marcel Hirscher leads after the first run of Sunday's World Cup giant slalom. Big surprise, some of his top rivals are on the sideline after wiping out.

Fresh off his surprise super-G win the day before, Hirscher made it through the extra grippy snow conditions in 1 minute, 16.93 seconds. He takes a 0.15-second advantage over Stefan Luitz of Germany heading into the second run. Sweden's Andre Myhrer sits in third.

Just as noteworthy are those who didn't finish the run. Done for the day include American Ted Ligety, along with French racers Thomas Fanara and Alexis Pinturault. All three crashed out - right in a row, too.

It was Ligety's first ''DNF'' - did not finish - in a first run of a World Cup GS since 2013. He was the big favorite on this course, considering he's won five races at Birds of Prey along with a world title last February.

But he struggled in snow conditions that drastically changed when the temperature significantly dropped overnight - turning the course from icy to super aggressive. Ligety hooked an edge, tumbled to the snow and crashed through a gate before stopping.

His day was done.

''It's not cool in any kind of race when you go out,'' said Ligety, who won the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, nearly two months ago. ''But this one is especially a bummer, for sure.''

Ligety had to wait several minutes in the start gate before his run as course workers fixed the netting after a crash by Fanara. Ligety insisted the delay was no big deal.

''It always happens,'' said Ligety, who complained of a ''dead leg'' after hitting the gate.

Pinturault also wiped out and was taken to the hospital for evaluation after hitting his head.

Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, who won Friday's downhill race, didn't compete because of an illness. The top American is Tim Jitloff, who's 1.27 seconds behind Hirscher.

Asked if he was surprised at how many big names were crashing, Fanara simply shrugged.

''When you push, you have a chance to go out,'' said Fanara, who was second in Soelden. ''To win, you have to accept to lose.''

Once again, Hirscher had no trouble finding the fastest way down the course. He's attempting to win a fifth straight overall title this season.

''Marcel always does seem to find the (quickest) way down,'' Ligety said.