Italy's Sofia Goggia wins World Cup downhill in Switzerland, closes on season title

Sofia Goggia raced toward another World Cup downhill title with a fifth win in her dominating season on Sunday in Switzerland.

Goggia raced through lightly falling snow and was fastest on the lower section of the Mont Lachaux course to finish with a time of one minute 26:81 seconds, 0.15 ahead of Federica Brignone, her Italy teammate who matched a career-best result in downhill.

Brignone got some of the best racing conditions as the No. 21 starter, starting 35 minutes after Goggia when the snow had stopped falling and sunshine broke through the clouds to light the slope.

Laura Gauche wearing the No. 26 bib then placed third, 0.41 seconds behind Goggia, for a first career podium finish. The French racer's previous best result in downhill was seventh.

Stefanie Fleckenstein of Whistler, B.C. finished in 23rd place as the best-ranked Canadian. Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., did not start.

Mother Nature made us work but we finally managed to compete in <a href="https://twitter.com/cransmontana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cransmontana</a> and the podium is all a tricolour