Federica Brignone leads again in World Cup giant slalom. Mikaela Shiffrin skis out of first run

ARE, Sweden — Federica Brignone is still relentless in giant slalom races and Mikaela Shiffrin is still searching for form after her serious crash in November.

Brignone was fastest in the first run of a World Cup giant slalom Saturday and Shiffrin failed to finish. She skied out wide after taking too much speed into a right-hand turn.

Racing toward a second overall World Cup title at age 34, Brignone made best use of the No. 1 start bib to be 0.34 seconds faster than her Italian teammate Sofia Goggia.

Goggia, a former Olympic champion in downhill, has not finished on the podium of a giant slalom race for seven years.

Thea Louise Stjernesund was third, with 0.36 to make up on Brignone in the afternoon run.

Brignone has won every giant slalom race she has completed this season, including a world championships gold medal last month. She failed to finish in three World Cup races.

World Cup giant slalom standings leader Alice Robinson was fifth, 0.65 back. She could be overtaken by Brignone with one race left, on March 25 at Sun Valley, Idaho.

Brignone was also set to pad her big lead in the overall standings ahead of Lara Gut-Behrami, the defending champion, who was outside the top 10 places. She trailed Brignone by 1.26.

Shiffrin has now started three giant slaloms since suffering a deep puncture wound in her stomach during a GS crash in Killington, Vermont more than three months ago. Her results have been a 25th place, failing to qualify for a second run and now a “did not finish.”

The United States star has returned to top form in slalom, which is raced Sunday. She got her record-extending 100th career World Cup win in a slalom two weeks ago.

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