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Mikaela Shiffrin storms to combined World Cup race victory

Winner Mikaela Shiffrin of the US, right, and third placed Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia shake hands in the finish area during the women's alpine combined Slalom race at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. (Alessandro della Valle / Associated Press)
By Daniella Matar Associated Press

CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland – A stunning slalom run from Mikaela Shiffrin saw her win the Alpine combined race Sunday to extend her advantage in the overall standings.

Shiffrin was seventh after the super-G portion and the American knew she could make it up in her favorite discipline.

The 21-year-old is the reigning Olympic slalom champion and has won the past three world championships. She is also on course for a fourth World Cup slalom title.

And so it proved as Shiffrin blew away her rivals on the final third of the course to finish 0.7 seconds above Federica Brignone and 0.85 seconds ahead of Ilka Stuhec, who is the American’s closest challenger for the overall title.

Shiffrin extended her advantage in the overall standings to 300 points over Stuhec, who moved into second, two points ahead of Lara Gut, who is out for the rest of the season with injury.

It was a third podium finish of the weekend for Stuhec, who was runner-up in the Alpine combined on Friday and won Saturday’s super-G.

The result also saw her clinch the Alpine combined title – a first globe for the 26-year-old.

Stuhec can further cut the gap in the next two races in South Korea next week. Shiffrin is flying there on Sunday night to check out the venues for next year’s Pyeongchang Olympic Games but will not contest the downhill or the super-G.

“I’m not going to race in the speed events,” she said. “I’m going to try to see the speed hill, get on the tech venue a little bit and then go to the U.S.

“I’ve never been even close (to South Korea) so I am looking forward to seeing it, getting a feel for what it’s like there and then I’m really excited to be going home,” she said

Lindsey Vonn pulled out of the race last night after suffering from food poisoning and crashing on Saturday.

She also withdrew from Friday’s combined race, along with Shiffrin and their American teammate Laurenne Ross, because of dangerous conditions on the course.