Alexis Pinturault continued his dazzling form of late by winning a World Cup giant slalom race in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia for his fourth consecutive victory in the discipline.
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Marcel Hirscher clinched the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup giant slalom title with victory in Kranjska Gora on Saturday.
Alexis PInturault, who had prevailed in the last four giant slalom races including Friday’s event in Kranjska Gora, was left to settle for the second on this occasion.
“I feel great. It’s a special moment for me”, said Pinturault, who is chasing his first GS globe. Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway was 1.59 back in third.
Hirscher could also extend his lead in the overall standings past 300 points, which would all but secure the Austrian his fifth straight overall title.
Hirscher would match the best mark set by Austrian-born Marc Girardelli.
Low clouds made for flat light, and visibility was further hampered in the second run by fog and snowfall.
The Frenchman built on his first-run lead to beat Philipp Schoerghofer and Hirscher by 0.47 and 0.69 seconds, respectively.
“I knew Alexis and Henrik had done their job pretty good”.
Kristoffersen is third in the GS standings but trails Hirscher by an insurmountable deficit of 220 points.
“I still can’t believe it”, he said afterwards. “You have to be realistic”, said Hirscher, who won the slalom title the past three seasons.
“(The day’s) first run was maybe the most hard run I have ever skied in eight years of World Cup giant slalom.
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Kranjska Gora will host the second last slalom event of the season on Sunday.
