American Ted Ligety gained his revenge against Marcel Hirscher on Tuesday by capturing the Alpine World Cup Beaver Creek giant slalom race for his 10th career World Cup victory.
The reigning giant slalom overall champ Ligety finished second to Austria's Hirscher in the first of a giant slalom double-header Sunday in Beaver Creek.
"I'm glad to get some redemption," Ligety said. "My second place gave me extra motivation for today."
Ligety charged down the course Tuesday in bone-chilling conditions to finish with a combined two-run time of two minutes, 40.01 seconds and defeat Hirscher, who clocked 2:40.70. Norway's Kjetil Jansrud was third in 2:40.79.
Hirscher won two days ago in Beaver Creek which added three races after World Cup officials moved the men's giant slalom and slalom and women's super-G to the Colorado ski resort because of a lack of snow in Val d'Isere, France.
France's Alexis Pinturault, who led after the first run, was fourth in 2:40.91 and Hannes Reichelt of Austria rounded out the top five with a time of 2:40.96.
Ligety who also won the season-opening race at Soelden, Austria in October. He entered the final run trailing Pinturault by 0.14 seconds, but he easily made up the time.
"I was definitely on the edge during my second run," said Ligety, who won the giant slalom here last year. "I was pushing as hard as I could. It was the most aggressive GS run I have had here so far.
"In the second run I figured the snow a little better and I was kind of able to trust what the skis were going to do. I was pushing harder on that run.
"I didn't know if I was going to make it. If I do that run several times I don't know if I would make it to the finish line with a high percentage."
Hirscher said he gave it his best shot but just couldn't catch Ligety on the Birds of Prey course.
"I tried to be more aggressive in the second run but I had no chance to beat Ted," Hirscher said. "I'm proud to be in a battle with Mr GS Ted and I hope this will last the whole season."
Ligety now leads the World Cup giant slalom standings with 280 points. Hirscher is 60 points adrift in second while Pinturault is third with 159.
"It's an unbelievable feeling to start the season like this," Hirscher said. "I have forgotten everything about my injury (broken ankle) from last February.
"If you are on top you forget the pain, the hard work and the bad things that happened last season."
Copyright 2011 AFP Global Edition
