WORLD'S -BRIGNONE- WONDER : HONOURS GIANT SLALOM

Brignone wins Sestriere giant slalom. Shiffrin returns in 25th spot on her return to the discipline.

Italian Federica Brignone won a women's World Cup giant slalom on home snow in Sestriere on Friday as U.S. ski great Mikaela Shiffrin finished 25th on her return to the discipline after a crash in Vermont last November.

New Zealand's Alice Robinson was second, after setting the fastest time in the first run, and Thea Louise Stjernessund of Norway finished third.

The top two was the same as at this month's world championships.

The win was a career 33rd in the World Cup for ' Snow Tiger ' Brignone and 15th in giant, at the age of 34 and after suffering a recent bout of sickness.

'' I am feeling better since yesterday, I know it was possible to make two good runs and this is what I tried today,'' said the Italian.

Brignone now leads the overall standings by 170 points from Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami who failed to finish the first leg.

Robinson leads the giant slalom standings, 39 ahead of Sweden's Sara Hector with Brignone third.

The World Students Society thanks Reuters.