Shiffrin back on form, leads 1st run of World Cup slalom

(AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018.
(AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Switzerland's Wendy Holdener speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Switzerland's Wendy Holdener speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018.
(AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Sweden's Frida Hansdotter speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Sweden's Frida Hansdotter speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018.
(AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018.
(AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Slovakia's Veronika Velez Zuzulova speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati). Slovakia's Veronika Velez Zuzulova speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018.

LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (AP) - Mikaela Shiffrin got back to her favorite event and back on the top of the leaderboard in a World Cup slalom on Sunday.

Unbeaten in slalom since November, the American star was 0.65 seconds faster in the first run than Wendy Holdener of Switzerland.

Third-placed Frida Hansdotter of Sweden had 0.83 to make up on Shiffrin in the second run in the afternoon.

Shiffrin started the year with five straight World Cup wins, including three in traditional slalom, to extend her big lead in the overall World Cup standings. However, her winless streak is now five races since the last slalom on Jan. 9 at Flachau, Austria.

After a cautious start Sunday, Shiffrin raced down the bottom half of the course at least 0.78 faster than any rival.

"I was a bit holding back at the very first part," Shiffrin told Austrian broadcaster ORF. "As I got down got to the easier part I started to pick up my speed and (felt) more and more comfortable every turn. By the bottom I was feeling some turns I really liked."

Sunday's race is likely to be Shiffrin's last in the World Cup before the Pyeongchang Olympics next month. She plans to skip a parallel slalom event in Stockholm on Tuesday and two downhills next weekend at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Shiffrin is scheduled to defend her Olympic slalom title on Feb. 14 in South Korea. She is also the reigning world champion and World Cup season-long champion in the discipline she dominates.

One expected Olympic rival for Shiffrin was Veronika Velez Zuzulova from Slovakia, who tore the ACL in her right knee in September while training in Argentina.

Less than five months later, the five-time World Cup race winner made her comeback Sunday and was 21st fastest trailing Shiffrin by 3.63.

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