Marcel Hirscher wins in World Cup giant slalom; Ted Ligety is seventh

Overall World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria swept to victory in a giant slalom on Saturday, denying Alexis Pinturault an emotional win for France at Adelboden, Switzerland.

Hirscher extended his morning lead to finish in a combined two-run time of 2 minutes, 39.11 seconds, beating Pinturault by 1.13. Ligety, the Olympic and world champion placed seventh, 1.86 behind his main rival.

Pinturault was among several French racers who wore “Je Suis Charlie” messages on their helmets, showing support for their home country after a traumatic week of terrorist incidents.

After crossing the finish line as provisional leader, Pinturault pointed to the message.

“I think it was nice to show my solidarity after the current events,” the 23-year-old Frenchman said after being third-fastest in the first run.

Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway finished third, trailing 1.64 behind Hirscher.

Hirscher’s fourth win in five GS races this season earned 100 points to extend his lead in the discipline standings over Ligety to 138.

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Japanese teenager Sara Takanashi won her first ski jumping World Cup event of the season at Sapporo, Japan.

The 18-year-old Takanashi had jumps of 97 and 98 meters at the Miyanomori hill for a total of 249.9 points.

Takanashi is bidding for her third straight overall World Cup title.

Daniela Iraschko-Stolz of Austria came second, 18.8 points back after jumps of 89.5 and 94 meters. Slovenia’s Spela Rogelj, who won the season-opening event in Lillehammer last month, was third with jumps of 88.5 and 96.5 meters for 226.3 points.

Sarah Hendrickson of the United States was fifth with 221.6 points while Sochi Olympic gold medalist Carina Vogt of Germany was seventh with 216.9 points. Takanashi, Iraschko-Stolz and Rogelj are tied for the overall lead with 160 points after two events.

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Organizers were rebuilding the infrastructure at a women’s World Cup course after a storm destroyed the finish area and the safety fencing, forcing the cancellation of a downhill.

The International Ski Federation said there’s still a chance a super-G can be held on the same course Sunday, though temperatures rising to above 10 degrees Celsius (50F) have been affecting the icy slope.

“Unfortunately the chance is quite big we won’t succeed,” FIS women’s race director Atle Skaardal said. “It’s all really soft now. We lost five to 10 centimeters of snow over the last couple of hours. Incredible how fast it goes.”