This handout photo released by the Olympic Information Services (OIS/IOC) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) shows Austria's Philip Hoffmann competing to win gold in Run 2 of the Alpine Skiing Men's Giant Slalom at Les Diablerets Alpine Centre during the 2020 Lausanne Winter Youth Olympic Games on Jan 13, 2020. (SIMON BRUTY / AFP / OIS/IOC)

LES DIABLERETS, Switzerland - Posting the fasted time in both runs, Austria's Philip Hoffmann took men's Giant Slalom champion comfortably at Winter Youth Olympic Game here on Monday.

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The Austrian secured his victory by 2 minutes and 6.31 seconds in combined. Switzerland's Sandro Zurbruegg took the silver medal after finishing third and seventh in two runs.

The piste was hard and icy on Monday and 24 skiers failed to finish the race or been disqualified, including Mikkel Remsoey and Auguste Aulnette who shared the gold medal of men's combined event.

"The harder the better for me," said Hoffmann, "The hard piste requires good technique. I think the hill suits me very well.

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The bronze medal was taken by another Swiss skier Luc Roduit who was only 0.04 seconds slower than Zurbruegg.

Roduit said he was inspired by his teammate Amelie Klopfenstein who has taken two gold and one bronze in women's events so far.