Sweden's Olsson wins 1st parallel giant slalom World Cup

Matts Olsson of Sweden upset favourites Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen in succession to win a parallel giant slalom Monday in La Villa, Italy, for his first World Cup victory.

Skier upsets favoured Marcel Hirscher, Henrik Kristoffersen at Alta Badia

Sweden's Matts Olsson celebrates after winning his first World Cup title in parallel giant slalom. (Marco Trovati/Associated Press)

Matts Olsson of Sweden upset favourites Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen in succession to win a parallel giant slalom Monday in La Villa, Italy, for his first World Cup victory.

Olsson edged Hirscher by 0.05 seconds in the semifinal then beat Kristoffersen by 0.03 in the final of the Alta Badia night race.

Hirscher won the small final for third ahead of Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.

Needing to complete six runs to win, skiers were shuttled back up to the start after each leg on off-road vehicles following brief pit stops with their ski technicians.

The nations team event, which features the similar discipline of parallel slalom, will make its Olympic debut at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February.

The men's circuit travels to Madonna Di Campiglio for another night event, a traditional slalom, on Friday.