Swiss skier Meillard wins last GS before Olympics and denies Pinheiro Braathen 2nd win for Brazil

By Canadian Press on January 27, 2026.

SCHLADMING, Austria (AP) — Loic Meillard has won the last men’s World Cup giant slalom before the Olympics, denying Lucas Pinheiro Braathen what would have been his second victory for Brazil.

Pinheiro Braathen narrowly led Meillard after Tuesday’s opening run but couldn’t hold on to his advantage after the Swiss skier posted the second-fastest time in the final run.

Last November, Pinheiro Braathen won a slalom in Finland to give Brazil its maiden victory in a top-level ski race.

Meillard won Tuesday’s race under the floodlights on the icy Planai course by 0.73 seconds for his second World Cup victory of the season and ninth overall.

“It’s always been a slope that I liked. And good memories from the first victory in GS and to win again here is amazing,” said Meillard, who also won the event three years ago.

Unheralded Alban Elezi Cannaferina clocked the fastest second-run and improved from eighth position to third, 0.90 behind Meillard, for his first career podium.

Elezi Cannaferina was the 2023 junior world champion and had an 11th place from a GS in Norway last March as his best World Cup result so far.

His stunning final run bumped Olympic GS champion Marco Odermatt off the podium and into fourth, 0.36 behind the Frenchman.

Tuesday’s race in Austria was the last GS before the Feb. 14 Olympic race in Bormio. A night slalom on the same hill is scheduled for Wednesday.

___

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

The Associated Press