Alpine skiing-Austria's Scheib wins Kronplatz GS, impressive return for Brignone

KRONPLATZ, Italy, Jan 20 : Austria's Julia Scheib won a women's World Cup giant slalom in Kronplatz on Tuesday as Italy's Federica Brignone shed tears of relief and happiness after finishing an impressive sixth on her return from injury.

Scheib's fourth win in seven giants this season, on top of two second places, extended her lead in the discipline standings to 139 points.

The 27-year-old Austrian had crashed in Kronplatz last year but now looks the GS  favourite for next month's Milano Cortina Olympics. 

Switzerland's Camille Rast was second, 0.37 slower, and Sweden's Olympic champion Sara Hector, leader after the first run, finished third. 

World champion Brignone, 35, was fastest of the Italians in the first run on home snow, and a piste 90 minutes by car from Cortina d'Ampezzo, and then improved from seventh.

"It has not been easy," she told TNT Sports before choking up with the emotion and turning away in tears before composing herself again. 

The double overall World Cup champion and 2022 Olympic silver medallist fractured her left tibia and fibula in a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships last April.

ALREADY A BIG SUCCESS

The Italian has described her comeback and build-up to the Olympics, which start on February 6, as a series of physical tests rather than a conventional preparation.

"I'm here to test my body, especially my leg," she said on Monday. "I'm definitely not here for a big result, but for a big result for myself. Just being able to race will already be a big success."

Compatriot Sofia Goggia, a double Olympic medallist and winner of a super-G in December, slid out of the first run.

Brignone was next out of the start hut with bib number 13 and looked confident, finishing with a time 1.18 seconds off