Intro:

Defending World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria protected his first-run lead to comfortably win Sunday's World Cup giant slalom race in Val d'Isere.

Script:

Val d'Isere was the setting on Sunday for the third men's World Cup giant slalom competition of the season.

Marcel Hirscher had finished third in the season-opener in Soelden, Austria came second at Beaver Creek in the USA and led in France going into his second run.

He went on to protect his lead to record a comfortable victory and secure a combined time of 1 minute, 54.10 seconds.

Hot on his heels however was German Stefan Luitz and American Ted Ligety, Luitz finishing just a tenth of a second behind Austrian Hirscher.

The overall World Cup holder, who had not won a race despite four podium places this season, added a 13th victory to his career record.

Hirscher moves up to third in the World Cup standings, 60 points behind Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal and 22 behind Ligety.