Ted Ligety was in unfamiliar position after the opening run of his first race in nine months — in 14th place in Soelden, Austria, where he has been the most successful skier in history.
Ligety, who has won the season-opening giant slalom a record four times and never finished outside the top 10, was 1.49 seconds behind on the Rettenbach glacier going into the second and final run.
Concern would be warranted. Ligety may have won the last three world titles and the 2014 Olympic title in giant slalom, but he is now 32 years old and coming off a torn right ACL suffered in January training.