VAL D’ISERE, France (AP) — Frenchman Alexis Pinturault posted the fastest time in the first run of a World Cup giant slalom race on Saturday, while Americans Ted Ligety and Bode Miller were among several racers to ski out.
Pinturault clocked 1 minute, 8.51 seconds, putting him 0.30 seconds clear of German Stefan Luitz and 0.41 ahead of Austrian Marcel Hirscher and Frenchman Thomas Fanara.
Ligety was aiming for his third consecutive giant slalom win of the season but the American predicted before the race that the Stade Olympique de Bellevarde course would be tough.
Ligety took a gate too wide halfway down and went off course.
Then, Aksel Lund Svindal lost balance approaching a gate from the right, missed the next gate and almost toppled over.
Miller tripped over his skis near the bottom.
