COURCHEVEL, France — Austrian skier Eva-Maria Brem safely protected her lead from the first leg to win a World Cup giant slalom race Sunday, picking up the second victory of her career and denying Swiss star Lara Gut a third consecutive race victory.
Gut, who overtook Vail’s Lindsey Vonn for the overall lead, finished tied for second place with Norway’s Nina Loeseth, who secured a career-best result.
“I’d like to continue like this until March and not stop here,” Gut said after her 24th career podium and first in Courchevel. “I could have done better in the first run; the second run I was just trying not to think about the tiredness in my legs.”
It’s been hectic for Vonn and Gut in the French Alps, first in Val d’Isere then here for the GS.
Gut won Saturday’s downhill, which Vonn failed to finish after skiing off the course. Gut also won Friday’s super-combined, beating Vonn by 0.01 of a second. She got the upper hand again this time.
Vonn was 10th in Sunday’s morning first run but finished 13th with sunny conditions fading on the Emile-Allais course.
“It just wasn’t quite right today. … It was pretty dark the second run, but normally I’m good at that,” said Vonn, who picked up 20 World Cup points compared with Gut’s 80. “I just kept catching my edge doing weird stuff. I didn’t really feel very balanced. But it was a good effort; I tried really hard and got some points.”
Vonn, 31, will rest before returning to action in another GS at the Austrian resort of Lienz on Dec. 28.
