Austrian Hirscher holds off Ligety to win giant slalom
ADVERTISEMENTMarcel Hirscher has stretched his lead at the top of the World Cup overall standings with a comfortable win in the giant slalom in Sweden.
The Austrian was fastest in both runs raced under floodlights, finishing more than one second ahead of his arch-rival, American Olympic champion Ted Ligety.
Hirscher posted a combined time of 2 minutes, 30.18 seconds, with Ligety 1.22 seconds behind.
Ligety recorded only the fifth quickest time in the second run but still managed to climb a spot after having finished third following the first leg.
Hirscher, who won the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, becomes the fifth Austrian to reach 25 World Cup wins and stands one behind Franz Klammer.
German skier Stefan Luitz leapfrogged countryman Fritz Dopfer to take third place.