"Marcel Hirscher wonthis race here today, he was ahead big time but I guess I'll take it as it is, " Ligety said after his first win at a venue where Hirscher won both slaloms in 2012.
"I'm delighted, it is lovely and this is the first time I've have featured on a Costa shortlist I think, I've certainly never won one of the Costa prizes before" she told the BBC.
His "I tell it like it is" approach has indeed won him support amongst voters, but thistime he also needed to reassure his own troops about both his political judgements and his leadership abilities and commitment.