For Hirscher, who also won the Olympic combined gold medal at Pyeongchang 2018, the 56th World Cup win of his career was enough to earn him his fifth overall World Cup globe in the discipline, and 15th in total.

The race had added emotional impact for the 29-year-old Austrian as it was on this Podkoren course ten years ago that he first earned a World Cup podium finish.

It was Hirscher’s 27th World Cup win in giant slalom, and his 11th of the season.

Kristoffersen has now earned four second places in all giant slalom events this season.

For Pinturault it was the fourth podium finish of the season.

Tomorrow the men will race the penultimate slalom of this World Cup season, due to conclude at the FIS Ski World Cup Finals in Åre in Sweden between March 14 and 18. 

Meanwhile, Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein, the Olympic super-G bronze medallist, will head into those World Cup Finals with a 46-point lead in the super-G standings following her victory in today's race at Crans-Montana in Switzerland.

The 2017 super-G globe winner was able to overtake Lara Gut of Switzerland, who finished seventh, with solid skiing and a precise line.

Austria’s Pyeongchang 2018 silver medallist Anna Veith had trouble with the jump but pulled off a superb recovery through the final gates on the course to take second place.

Switzerland's technical specialist Wendy Holdener, the Pyeongchang 2018 slalom silver medallist and combined bronze medallist, produced the surprise result of the day in finishing third ahead of team-mate and Olympic combined gold medallist Michelle Gisin.

It was Holdener's career-first podium in a speed discipline.

The race used a lowered start due to unfavourable course conditions on the upper part of the slope.

Race organisers hope to use the longer super-G track in tomorrow's combined event.