Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook

Story highlights

Marcel Hirscher wins World Cup slalom in Are in Sweden

Doubles up after giant slalom victory Saturday

Surprise podium for Alexander Khoroshilov of Russia

U.S. star Ted Ligety and home hope Henrik Kristoffersen ski out

CNN  — 

Marcel Hirscher disappointment at the late switch from Val d’Isere to Are for this weekend’s World Cup racing turned to elation Sunday as he completed a double in the Swedish mountains.

The current World Cup overall leader edged out Felix Neureuther of Germany in a close second leg battle to win the slalom.

The Austrian had held off Ted Ligety of the United States to take the giant slalom crown Saturday.

Hirscher has a pair of giant slalom victories at Val d’Isere, but is in such form that the choice of venue proved immaterial.

Second after the first run to Neureuther, he produced a combined time of one minute 40.37 seconds, to edge out his closest rival by 00.10 seconds.

Behind them, Alexander Khoroshilov raced to his first career World Cup podium, the first Russian to finish in the top three at this level since 1981.

Read: Gay ski legend demands changes

Ligety, third after the first run, saw his chances disappear when he skied out second time down.

Home hopes rested with 20-year-old sensation Henrik Kristoffersen, the winner of the first slalom of the season in Levi, but he made a mistake on his first run to the disappointment of local fans.

But Swedish racers showed up strongly behind the top three with Mattias Hargin, Axel Baeck and Calle Lindh finishing fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Hirscher was claiming his 26th career World Cup victory to lead the overall standings with 440 points, 28 points more than Kjetil Jansrud.

Read: Hirscher and Fenninger fire Austrian success

“I am super happy”, Hirscher told the official website of the International Ski Federation (FIS)

“Today I have been for sure a bit of a lucky guy, because I am only one tenth ahead of Felix and Alexander isn’t too far either. Overall it’s been a super weekend.”

He has had a podium finish in all five races he has taken part in this season.

Khoroshilov, 30, had served notice of his form with a personal best in Levi in eighth place, but admitted he was surprised by his breakthrough.

“I was really happy about my results in Levi, but today this is unbelievable,” he said.

The last Russian to get make a World Cup podium was in March, 1981 when Aleksandr Zirov won a giant slalom race in Laax, Switzerland.

Poor ski conditions in Val d’Isere saw World Cup organizers turn to Are at short notice for competition in both the men’s and women’s categories, with four races over the three days.