Marta Bassino blasts past Tessa Worley to top Kranjska Gora giant slalom

Marta Bassino has won her third giant slalom of the season at Kranjska Gora in Slovenia on Saturday (16 January) sweeping to the top of the giant slalom standings.

Bassino clocked 1:04.15 and 1:07.75 to claim victory ahead of Tessa Worley in second and Michelle Gisin third.

Margins were razor thin in the Slovenian Alps, Bassino led after Run 1, flashing down the hill just +0.27s ahead of Swiss skier Gisin, 0.51s faster than Petra Vlhova, and 0.54 ahead of Mikaela Shiffrin.

But it was Tessa Worley who looked like she might win her 14th giant slalom with a lightning Run 2 of 1:07.70, until Bassino's near-perfect final run won the day, 0.80 seconds ahead of Worley overall.

There was joy too for Michelle Gisin who finished third (+1.46), claiming her first giant slalom World Cup podium after finishing fourth in both Soelden and Courchevel.

The 27-year-old has now finished on the podium in the slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and Alpine combined.

Petra Vlhova was fourth, banking valuable points as she continues to lead the overall standings, and Federica Brignone wearing the red bib, was fifth.

Mikaela Shiffrin was in contention in 4th after Run 1 but costly mistakes on a freezing day with a glassy slope left her in sixth place.

“It’s just amazing," Bassino said afterwards, "today it was really tough, but I just tried to push and go as fast as I could because the feeling was so nice. I’m really really happy.”

Bassino jumps to the top of the giant slalom standings ahead of teammate Brignone with this win.

Bassino on the trail of Denise Karbon's record

It was a happy return to Kranjska Gora for Bassino who finished fifth in last season's contest - that was the last WC GS that Bassino finished, but did not win.

Determined to leave it all on the piste today Bassino attacked both runs sticking close to the gates and acing the first part of the course to set the platform for the second half which was more controlled, but using all that momentum to set the green lights blinking.

No Italian woman has won three women's World Cup giant slaloms in a single season since 2007/08, when Denise Karbon set a national record winning five, now Bassino is on the trail of that record.

Tessa Worley: Giant slalom specialist

Tessa Worley has won 13 World Cup races, and all 13 have come in the giant slalom.

The French specialist hasn't won a race since October 2018, but came so close here in Slovenia, claiming her second podium this season, her 31st in career.

At 31, the four-time world champion says she has "nothing left to prove," and is enjoying her skiing.

You can get a unique view at the life of an elite speed skier in Olympic Channel's 'Cirque Blanc' documentary series which follows France's top female skiers Worley, Tiffany Gauthier and Romane Miradoli on the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit 2020/2021.

It's free and on-demand, just click play below.