Italy's Laura Pirovano secured a remarkable World Cup downhill double on home snow, unseating injured American legend Lindsey Vonn from the discipline's top spot. Vonn, sidelined by a broken leg from the Milano Cortina Olympics, had led the standings with two wins and five podiums this season.
Pirovano, 28, won her second consecutive race in Val di Fassa by a mere 0.01 seconds, a margin of approximately 28cm on the piste, over Austria's Cornelia Huetter. Switzerland's Corinne Suter finished third.
With one downhill race remaining, Pirovano now leads the standings with 436 points. Germany's Emma Aicher is second with 408 points. Vonn's pre-injury points total of 400 remains in reach for other competitors like Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and Cornelia Huetter.
Mikaela Shiffrin, who does not compete in downhill, maintained her overall World Cup lead with 1,133 points. The women's season continues with a super-G event.