Loïc Meillard wins the night giant slalom in Schladming as he did in 2023. The Swiss skier wins with a comfortable lead over Lucas Pinheiro Braathen. Marco Odermatt finishes in fourth place.
With the second-fastest time in the second run, Meillard went on the attack. Pinheiro Braathen, who only had a lead of six hundredths, fell behind the 29-year-old Romand early on and was a clear 73 hundredths behind at the finish. Meillard thus celebrated his ninth World Cup victory, his seventh in the giant slalom (once in the parallel giant slalom). This season was the second time after Val d'Isère that he stood at the top of the podium, back then even together with two other Swiss skiers.
Frenchman Alban Elezi Cannaferina, the only person faster than Meillard in the second run, surprisingly came third. The 22-year-old, who had never finished higher than 11th in the giant slalom before, made up five places thanks to his best run time.
Odermatt strong 4th place after an intensive Kitzbühel weekend.
Marco Odermatt, seventh after the first run, missed out on an even bigger leap forward with a mistake in the upper section of the course. In fourth place, the leader of the discipline classification nevertheless scored valuable points in the battle for the small crystal globe. The man from Nidwalden had explained in advance that he was not in top form after the intensive races in Kitzbühel on the Planai. With a view to the Olympics, he nevertheless decided to take part.
Apart from Meillard and Odermatt, no other Swiss made it into the second run. Thomas Tumler and Luca Aerni, who were called up for the Winter Games, were eliminated, as was Sandro Zurbrügg. Fadri Janutin missed out on qualification by ten hundredths in 31st place. Meanwhile, Gino Caviezel made his comeback after a long injury break, but has yet to really get going. He finished 42nd in his only race this season.
A night slalom is still on the program in Schladming on Wednesday. After that, the technical specialists will begin their preparations for Bormio, where the Olympic men's races will be held.
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