Gut-Behrami wins women's giant slalom, takes overall World Cup lead over injured Shiffrin

For Lara Gut-Behrami, ski racing isn't all about winning races any more. It's just as much about avoiding injuries, too.

The Swiss star overtook the absent Mikaela Shiffrin on top of the women's World Cup overall standings with a giant slalom victory on Saturday in Soldeu, Andorra.

Enjoying a three-race winning streak, Gut-Behrami raised her season's tally to 1,214 points, five more than Shiffrin, who sits out this weekend's races to nurse a left knee injury.

"I learned a lot from my injuries," Gut-Behrami said. "My first priority is to come to the end of the season. Sometimes we forget that and we only talk about points or wins, but somehow it's more about skiing great and staying safe."

Gut-Behrami learned that lesson seven years ago. She was the defending champion when she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee near the end of the season and dropped out of a duel with Shiffrin for the 2016-17 overall title.

This time, it's the American who is out injured.

Shiffrin hurt her knee, but avoided damage to the ligaments, while landing from a jump and crashed into the safety netting at a downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, 15 days ago.

Gut-Behrami finished second in that race and has racked up 345 points in the four events that Shiffrin has missed since.

"Yes, but this is probably one month too early," Gut-Behrami said with a smile on regaining the lead in the overall standings with 14 races left until the season ends on March 23.

Shiffrin will also skip Sunday's slalom in Andorra as her return to racing is yet unclear. Gut-Behrami does not compete in that discipline.

Gut-Behrami is after her second overall title, Shiffrin can win her sixth.

"For the overall World Cup, this season has shown us that you have