Soelden: Feller races to victory on home snow

Manuel Feller ended an Austrian five-year wait for victory in Soelden's season-opening World Cup giant slalom on Sunday, holding off Marco Odermatt to win on home snow.

Feller, third after the opening run, attacked in the second leg on the Rettenbach glacier to clock a combined time of 1min 56.79sec.

The last Austrian to win the race was Marcel Hirscher in 2017 before the eight-time overall World Cup champion retired in 2019.

Olympic champion Odermatt was second, 0.33sec behind Feller, with France's Alexis Pinturault in third, 0.48sec off the pace.

Feller said his third World Cup victory was a "special moment".

"I tried to ski with courage. I knew it would be difficult to beat Marco," he said.

"At the finish, I was watching the time and then suddenly I was in the lead. It's incredible."

The 29-year-old Feller had been third on home snow in Soelden in 2018 and also finished on the podium in the Austrian resort in 2017.

Odermatt, who had won the first two giant slaloms of last season and was second in his other two, was satisfied with his performance.

"It's a good start to the season," said the Swiss, who won the overall World Cup title last season.

"Manuel was just faster today and I couldn't match his skiing."

Pinturault, the 2021 overall World Cup champion, was happy to be on the podium after finishing eighth last year.

"It's a good start for me," said the Frenchman.

"I know I have to work on my speed but I'm happy to be back on the podium."

The men's World Cup continues next weekend with a slalom in Levi, Finland.