In search of a first victory this winter, the Ticino rider set the 2nd time in the first giant race, 0”15 behind Federica Brignone.
Ahead of the Italian at the last intermediate, Lara Gut-Behrami conceded 0”23 in the last 13 seconds of an extremely short course (1’02”28 for Brignone). She wants to come full circle in Semmering, where 16 years ago she had the first of her 25 giant podiums and where she lines up for the last time.
But seats on the stage will be expensive. Third, the Swede Sara Hector only conceded 0”09 to “LGB”, who remains on three consecutive podiums in speed but displays a 13th place (in Killington) as her only result of the winter in giant. Four other skiers are less than eight tenths behind Gut-Behrami.
The other Swiss women, however, failed. Overall leader of the World Cup, Camille Rast is in 15th place. The Valaisanne dropped 1”88 on Federica Brignone, without making a mistake. Wendy Holdener, who lost 2”09, is 18th while Simone Wild is 24th at 2”45.
In the absence of Michelle Gisin, who decided to take a short break, no other Swiss-Ski representative was able to get their ticket for the 2nd round (from 1 p.m.). Note in particular the eliminations of Valaisanne Delphine Darbellay (first individual start in the World Cup) and Mélanie Meillard.
