Olympic gold medalist Lucas Pinheiro Braathen claimed victory in the latest World Cup giant slalom event held in Slovenia on Saturday, adding pressure on Marco Odermatt in the race for the season-long title. Pinheiro Braathen maintained his lead from the first run and finished 0.54 seconds ahead of Loic Meillard, who won the bronze at the Olympics. Stefan Brennsteiner secured the third spot, trailing by 0.80 seconds.
Pinheiro Braathen’s recent historic triumph for Brazil at the Winter Games pushed Odermatt to the silver medal position, making him the Swiss competitor’s primary rival in the ongoing giant slalom rankings. Expressing his happiness and joy, Pinheiro Braathen, who finished second in the three World Cup giant slaloms pre-Olympics, emphasized his positive approach to skiing.
In the most recent event, Odermatt finished fifth, 1.33 seconds behind, while Pinheiro Braathen’s victory earned him 100 points, reducing Odermatt’s lead in the giant slalom standings to 48 points with one race remaining. The title for this discipline will be determined on March 25 at the final race in Hafjell, Norway, where Odermatt, a four-time defending champion, will seek to secure another victory.
Additionally, Odermatt is aiming for a fifth consecutive overall World Cup title, a feat he has effectively sealed already, holding a significant lead of 632 points over Pinheiro Braathen with eight races remaining in the season, where no other competitor has a realistic chance of catching up across all disciplines.