Ligety triumphs in Adelboden giant slalom

ADELBODEN, Switzerland (AFP) –

Ligety smiles after winning the men's giant slalom race in Adelboden on January 12, 2013

Ted Ligety of the United States smiles after winning the men’s giant slalom race of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Adelboden on January 12, 2013.

American Ted Ligety claimed victory in the men’s World Cup giant slalom on Saturday, safely negotiating a testing second leg that was the downfall of a raft of racers.

Ligety timed a combined total of 2min 28.67sec for a fourth victory on the international circuit this season, 1.15sec ahead of Germany’s Fritz Dopfer. The podium was completed by a second German, Felix Neureuther, at 1.24sec.

Austrian favourite Marcel Hirscher, who had led after the first leg, dramatically missed a gate in a tricky lower part of the second run when he was leading by more than 1sec. He eventually finished in 16th spot at 3sec.

“I was very lucky. Marcel Hirscher won this race today,” said Ligety. “He would have blown me out of the water. But I’ll take it as I’ve given him some of those gifts in the past.

“This has been a tough course for me in my career so I’m happy to get the win.

“The second run was so dark and bumpy, and the snow was very tiring, but I was lucky enough to have some reserve strength.”

Ligety said the large margin of his victory could be put down to the new skis in use this season.

“With the old skis, when you made a mistake it would cost you one or two-tenths of a second. But now the smallest mistake makes you pay half a second,” he said.