LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland — Ted Ligety capped his dominant season in giant slalom with a sixth World Cup win Saturday, fueling comparisons with the best GS skier in history.
The American skier joined Ingemar Stenmark as the only men in the 47-year World Cup history to get six GS victories in a season. Stenmark’s 10-race sweep in 1978-79 is the record.
“It’s very surreal for any ski racer," Ligety said of being likened to the Swede. “He is at another level that’s not really achievable."
Ligety’s 17 career World Cup wins in his specialist event are a long way from Stenmark’s 46, though the latest came with similar authority.
He raced smoothly down the steep slope in a two-run time of 2 minutes, 14.76 seconds, beating overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher by 0.37 seconds.
Hirscher was runner-up to Ligety for the fourth time, and French prospect Alexis Pinturault trailed by 1.16 in third.
— The Associated Press
