The Italian - who missed a home World Championships at this venue in 2021 because of injury - completed a course shortened by high winds in 1min 6.98sec.

Despite a middle sector which was scruffy but her high standards, the Olympic champion's time was good enough to win by 0.20sec.

Austria's Ramona Siebenhofer was second and Ester Ledecká was third, a further 0.06 back.

It is Ledecká's first Alpine Ski World Cup podium of the season, although the Czech did win a Snowboard World Cup parallel giant slalom race at this venue last month.

Switzerland's Corinne Suter was fourth, 0.33 off the leader's pace and unable to replicate the form which saw her win the downhill world title at Cortina d'Ampezzo last year.

Austrian Mirjam Puchner completed the top five.

Goggia's victory means she has won four of the five World Cup downhill races this season and has extended her overall lead in the discipline to 136 points, with Siebenhofer now second.

In the overall World Cup standings, Goggia is now 197 behind Mikaela Shiffrin.

Neither American Shiffrin or Petra Vlhová, the Slovakian who is both her closest chaser and the holder of the crystal globe, took part today.

A super-G race is scheduled at the same venue tomorrow.