Marta Bassino wins World Cup season opener in Giant Slalom in Solden

Marta Bassino begun the World Cup season in glorious style, storming to victory in the Grand Slalom ahead of Italian team-mate Federica Brignone.

The Sky Sports Scholar held on to her first-run lead to beat her compatriot and defending overall World Cup champion by 0.14 seconds.

Petra Vlhova posted the fastest second-run time with the Slovakian racer third, 1.13 secs behind Bassino.

It was Bassino's second career win after her Grand Slalom victory in Killington, Vermont last season.

"We are a perfect couple," Bassino said about Brignone. "We have a great team. We worked very well this summer and I think this is the result.

"I am really proud and really happy about this start of the season. It's really perfect.

"I had so many good feelings in my training before the race, but it's never easy to be able to repeat that and find the same sensations.

"But it's such a dream to start the season in this way and it makes me so confident."

With fog and snowfall making for poor visibility, particularly in the first run, it was the two Italians who adapted best.

Three-time overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin had to sit out of the race. The American, who won on the same Austrian slopes in 2014, tweaked her back in training two weeks ago and opted to rest.

No spectators were allowed as one of the precautionary health and safety measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.