SÖLDEN, Austria (AP) — Austrian skier Julia Scheib dominated the season-opening women's World Cup giant slalom Saturday, denying runner-up Paula Moltzan what would have been the American's first career win.

Moltzan led a strong showing by the U.S. ski team, which saw Mikaela Shiffrin place fourth and Nina O'Brien sixth, while there four more Americans in the top 20.

Scheib built on her big first-run lead of 1.28 seconds to win the race by 0.58, giving the Austrian women's team its first victory in a World Cup GS since Eva-Maria Brem triumphed in a race in Slovakia in March 2016.

Lara Gut-Behrami finished 1.11 behind in third, and Shiffrin trailed by 1.42.

“A load of thousands of kilos has dropped off my shoulders, I was so relieved to see the green light,” said Scheib, who had not won

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