Mikaela Shiffrin wins 1st giant slalom in over a year, inching closer to all-time record

Overall women's World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin held on to a big opening-run advantage to win a giant slalom on Tuesday, the American's first triumph in the discipline in more than a year.

Carrying a lead of 0.72 seconds over Petra Vlhova from the first leg, Shiffrin lost nearly six-tenths of the advantage when her Slovakian rival posted the fastest time in the final run, but ultimately won by 0.13 seconds.

The result marked Shiffrin's fourth World Cup win of the season and 78th overall, leaving her four short of the women's record set by her former teammate Lindsey Vonn.

Marta Bassino, who won the previous GS and remains in the lead of the discipline standings, was 0.31 behind in third. Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden trailed by 1.52 in eighth.

It was the 15th GS win in total for Shiffrin, who was the 2018 Olympic champion, but the first since triumphing in Courchevel, France, in December 2021. She had just one podium result from the seven previous giant slaloms in the calendar year 2022.

"Very special," Shiffrin said about ending the drought. "GS is one of the hardest events for me, but also, when I'm skiing well, then it's just amazing."

WATCH | Full coverage of the 1st run:

The race was a replacement for the season-opening giant slalom that was canceled in another Austrian resort, Soelden, in October, and is the first in a three-day series, followed by another GS on Wednesday and a night slalom the next day.

"The start of [an event] with three races is always a bit nerve-racking. You hope that you are on the right shape, that you can bring intensity to the start," Shiffrin said.

Sofia Goggia, the Italian speed specialist who is runner-up to Shiffrin in the overall standings, does not compete at Semmering,