Kristoffersen leads after Slovenia giant slalom first run

Off the back of a disappointing World Championships where he put up a weak defence of his slalom title the Norwegian clocked 1min 10.73sec.

Swiss Marco Odermatt, who won the super-G crown at last month's championships in Saalbach, is lying second, just 0.15s adrift.

Third-placed Joan Verdu heads a group of eight skiers separated by only half a second in the scramble for a podium spot.

Austria's Raphael Haaser, who upstaged defending champion Odermatt and the mighty Swiss men's team to claim world giant slalom gold on home snow in Saalbach, is in eighth, 1.03 behind Kristoffersen.

The second leg is due off at at 1130GMT.

Odermatt, who followed up his world title with victory in last weekend's World Cup super-G at Crans-Montana, heads the super-G standings, is on target for the overall title and also leads the race for the giant slalom crystal globe.