Tessa Worley wins Lienz GS in Shiffrin’s absence

LIENZ, Austria (AP) — French giant slalom specialist Tessa Worley finally returned to a women’s World Cup podium after 11 months, winning the last GS of the calendar year on Tuesday in the absence of Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin and world champion Lara Gut-Behrami.

Six days ago, the two-time world champion had missed her first top-three result since January by eight-hundredths of a second on home snow.

“I really wanted this one,” Worley said. “I was so close to the podium in Courchevel. It’s really cool.”

Racing in flat lights on the Schlossberg course, Worley held onto her first-run lead to beat defending overall champion Petra Vlhova by three-tenths of a second.

“It was mainly about pushing every turn,” Worley said. “I know that there is a lot of girls skiing pretty fast in GS right now. I know it’s always challenging. I’m just really happy to be part of those skiers.”

Worley became only the third female skier with at least 15 World Cup wins in giant slalom, after Vreni Schneider (20) and Annemarie Moser-Pröll (16).

The win was only Worley’s second over the past three years, though she has been in the top 10 in each of her last 11 World Cup giant slaloms.

“Skiing today was really fun, the slope was perfect and I enjoyed the challenge being in front in the first run. I feel I can trust my skiing and I’m really glad about that,” Worley said.

Sara Hector of Sweden, who was second after the opening run, had two costly mistakes in her final run and dropped to third, .38 behind Worley. It was the third straight podium result for Hector, who had won her first GS in seven years last week.

“I caught a bump high up on the hill which was difficult,” Hector said. “It was not mistake-free, for sure, but fast skiing in between.”

Italian speed specialist Sofia Goggia, who is Shiffrin’s main challenger for the overall title, finished 1.72 behind in 12th and reduced her deficit to 93 points. The American also remained in the lead of the GS standings, leading Hector by 18 points.

Shiffrin announced Monday she had tested positive for COVID-19, ruling the American out of the GS and Wednesday’s slalom, the last two races of the calendar year.

Gut-Behrami completed a 10-day quarantine following her positive test on Dec. 17 but her tests kept coming back positive, the Swiss ski team said.

Race director Peter Gerdol and another FIS official were also missing the event following positive tests.

Paula Moltzan led the U.S. Alpine Ski Team women in the giant slalom in Lienz, Austria, finishing 22nd. Mikaela Shiffrin did not race due to a positive COVID-19 test.

After finishing 24th first run, Moltzan had a strong second run to push her into 22nd place. It was her fifth consecutive points score in giant slalom.  

The race felt 2x Olympic champion Shiffrin’s absence, who has podiumed seven times at the Austrian venue throughout her career. Though she couldn’t be there in person, she was watching from quarantine. “I’m super psyched to watch my teammates race,” said Shiffrin. “And as far as the overall globe goes, we’re just taking it day by day. Obviously this is a blow to the points and chances there, but if we’ve learned anything this season so far, it’s that anything can happen. I’m just focused on getting better and getting back to racing ASAP, and we’ll let the chips fall where they may. Can’t worry too much about globes and titles with everything going on with COVID.”

Two elite racers who sat out the previous events with coronavirus infections returned Tuesday: Alice Robinson of New Zealand was fifth after the opening run but missed a gate shortly before finishing her second run, and slalom world champion Katharina Liensberger of Austria placed 25th.

No spectators were allowed at the race in the Lienzer Dolomites amid tight anti-coronavirus measures in Austria.

RESULTS

The Associated Press and the U.S. Ski Team Press Office contributed to this report