Rebensburg returns to World Cup with Kronplatz victory

Viktoria Rebensburg had to sit out the races in Bad Kleinkirchheim and Cortina with a nasty virus, but she returned to the World Cup on Tuesday in Kronplatz, Italy, on a mission to win. The German skied the fastest second run to move from third place after run one into first place, narrowly edging out first-run winner Ragnhild Mowinckel of Norway by 0.03 seconds. Federica Brignone, also suffering from illness in recent days, brought the crowd to its feet with a third-place finish.

With her victory, Rebensburg reclaimed the red leader bib in giant slalom that she held earlier in the season. Mowinckel, building on a series of career-best results, claimed her first podium finish in giant slalom after a third-place finish in super-G in Val d'Isere in December. She had never led a World Cup after the first run and was pleased to give Rebensburg serious chase. Brignone was also thrilled to move up from fifth place after the first run onto the podium, particularly after a hard series in Cortina where she could not start in Sunday's race.

Mikaela Shiffrin skied out in the first run following an uncharacteristic mistake. With three GS races to go in the season, Rebensburg holds a 37-point lead in the discipline standings over the American. Tessa Worley is a close third, trailing Rebensburg by 52 points.

The ladies' tour moves to Lenzerheide, Switzerland, at the end of the week for alpine combined, giant slalom, and slalom races beginning on Friday.

Full results from today's race are available here.