THIS IS A FIRST RUN STORY, CLICK HERE FOR FULL REPORT.

KRONPLATZ,ITALY,24.JAN.23 – Mikaela Shiffrin. Photo: GEPA pictures

SAN VIGILIO DI MAREBBE, Italy —  Mikaela Shiffrin holds a slim lead after the first run of Tuesday’s giant slalom and is in position for a record-breaking 83rd World Cup victory.

There are overcast skies in Northern Italy. The visibility is less than ideal. However, the course crew has done an excellent job preparing the track. There was opportunity to ski fast, but with the demanding slope, losing time to the best skiers was easy. By winning the first run, Mikaela Shiffrin has once again set herself up to ski last in the final. Now the question is, will she earn her 83rd career World Cup victory? Will today be the day she surpasses the total of the legendary Lindsey Vonn?

Shiffrin appeared to make a tactical decision to hold back slightly on the most challenging part of a slope named Erta, which translates as “steep,” featuring a 61% gradient. Then she accelerated on the flatter lower section and, pumping her first slightly, appeared satisfied upon seeing her result,

“There’s some spots where I was skiing very strong but not always taking on the speed,” Shiffrin said. “But I felt very, very good on the start. So just taking that skiing and being a bit more aggressive on the rest of the course.”

“It was also smart after downhill, super-G to just get the timing back a bit,” Shiffrin added. “I just tried to move really quick and (make) good, clean turns.”

The women are again offering a very competitive Kronplatz giant slalom. Mikaela Shiffrin’s coach, Mike Day, set the first run and Shiffrin was the fastest to ski it, she takes a narrow (-0.13) lead over Lara Gut-Behrami into the final run. Italian Frederica Brigone is the only other racer within a half second of Shiffrin, (+0.27) out.

Two North Americans join Shiffrin in the top five. Kransjaska Gora winner Canadian Valerie Grenier is fourth after the first run (+0.76) back and Paula Moltzan is fifth (+0.08) behind Grenier.

New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, joins them among the fastest ten in seventh, just behind Petra Vlhova. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the initial run is the season’s GS leader Marta Bassino. She started the race wearing bib one and now finds herself (+1.42) behind the leader in 10th.

Additionally, USA’s Nina O’Brien continues her return to top form. O’Brien injured her leg badly at the Olympics last season and has experienced trouble consistently finding her top speed. Today she used good splits in the first and final sectors to qualify, tied for 29th. However, she will ski first on the second run, which should provide an excellent opportunity to move up the ranks.

The Austrian women’s GS frustration continues. A notable seven qualified for the second run, but their best is bib 38 Julia Scheib in 12th. The good news for the team is that the three women in the top 15 all skied with bibs higher than 30.

The most significant move on the first run came from the first-year FIS Italian athlete who is skiing for Albania. The Junior World bronze medalist, Lara Colturi, started with bib 51 and is currently sitting in 21st. A testament to the course conditions, six athletes with bibs higher than 30 qualified for the second run. Colturi was the last to do so. There is a 3.10-second time differential among the top 30.

Analysis of the fastest three, Colturi and O’Brien, and first-run results

Top 30 first-run results, Kronplatz January 24th GS

The Associated Press contributed to this report.