Croatia's Filip Zubcic speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom race, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
LA VILLA, Italy (AP) – Marco Odermatt led the opening run of a World Cup giant slalom Sunday at Alta Badia as the Swiss star seeks a third win on the Gran Risa.
The leaderboard had a familiar look with the two-time defending overall World Cup champion on top, 0.31 seconds ahead of Croatian skier Filip ZubÄić and 0.36 faster than Marco Schwarz of Austria.
Odermatt, who is the Olympic, world and World Cup champion in giant slalom, has won in Alta Badia in each of the past two seasons.
Schwarz also won in 2021.
The 26-year-old Odermatt is almost unbeatable in his favored discipline. He won the only other giant slalom so far this season last week, for his 13th victory in the past 19 World Cup races in the event.
The season-opening giant slalom at Soelden, Austria had to be abandoned.
___
AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/skiing
