MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) Two-time Olympic champion Tina Maze has added Italian coach Valerio Ghirardi to her team for the next World Cup season.
Maze, who competes independently from the Slovenian ski federation, says Ghirardi will replace Mauro Pini in the coaching staff led by her boyfriend Andrea Massi.
Pini came in last January after the defending overall champion broke with coach Walter Ronconi following a disappointing first half of the season. Pini helped Maze win two gold medals at the Sochi Olympics - in downhill and giant slalom.
Ghirardi previously worked with Italian standout Isolde Kostner before leading the Italian women's team at the 2006 Turin Olympics. Later, he coached Carolina Ruiz Castillo of Spain.
Maze became the first Slovene to win the overall World Cup by setting a points records in 2013.
