Hirscher edges out Ligety to win in Beaver Creek
Ted Ligety took his almost accustomed lead after the first run in
the second Giant Slalom of the season yet had to be content with
second after a tremendous effort by Marcel Hirscher to win. Ligety
has been in such dominating form in Giant Slalom that both Hirscher
and third placed Fritz Dopfer were delighted to be sharing the
podium with the American. Hirscher summed it up: “Ted is considered
unbeatable in Austria so for me to beat him is a pretty big success.
I think he will be back on Tuesday (the rescheduled Giant Slalom
from Val d’Isere).”
New snow fell overnight in Beaver Creek and the aggressive nature of
the snow forced many of the racers to take stock of the conditions.
Ligety was no exception and while he said it was the same
that it had been all weekend, it “was more aggressive than it had
been for a GS.” In the eyes of head coach of the US Team, Sasha
Rearick, this did not stop Ligety who he described as having skied “a
fantastic first run and second run, too. I mean there were a couple
little mistakes,” that may have let in the Austrian for his
third world cup win.
Ligety is fast yet he knows that he has to be on top of his game
each run if he is to maintain his charge to a fourth World Cup Giant
Slalom crown. Ligety was not sure if the two tenths he lead by after
the first run would be enough so was looking to improve his chances
any which way he could. “I adjusted my setup so it was a little
better for the second run just because the snow's so aggressive it's
hard to really anticipate what your skis are going to do they can
hook up so quickly on this snow, you have to kinda just be on top of
your stuff."
Hirscher has not been a big fan of Beaver Creek but after intense
preparation that took in taking part in a number of Nor Am’s in the
area, Hirscher admitted that he is now coming to like the Birds of
Prey hill. Head coach for the American team, Sasha Rearick summed up
Hirscher’s second run: “hats off to Hirscher because the skiing he
did today especially on the second run at the bottom here was
amazing skiing, aggressive and clean on his skis. That was great
competition out here today.”
Ligety is a supreme competitor and he knew that he had made mistakes
that cost him what would have been a tenth World Cup win:
“First run I was just trying to get used to the snow, it’s so
aggressive up there, I think a lot of people were having problems
with it,” before
adding
"I know exactly where I lost it, when I had a little bobble on the
bottom...being second place is obviously good but I was really
wanting to win more than anything."
For Fritz Dopfer this was a special moment to get his first podium
and the first podium in a Giant Slalom by a German since Tobias
Barnerssoi in Kranjska Gora seventeen years ago, Dopfer was just 7
years old then.
The rematch is scheduled for Tuesday.
Results
1.
Marcel Hirscher (AUT)
2.
Ted Ligety (USA)
3.
Fritz Dopfer (GER)
No British Racers
