Pijnheiro Braathen / GEPA pictures
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen attacked the steep terrain of Podkoren 3 to lead the first run of the FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. As a result, he set up a tight battle for the podium, with six of the sport’s best racers separated by less than a second.
The Olympic champion posted a time of 1:10.36. He skied with speed and aggression across all sections of the course set by Juan Lago (AND). Most importantly, his advantage came through the steep middle pitch. There he delivered the fastest third sector of the race and carried that momentum all the way to the finish.
Meanwhile, Stefan Brennsteiner and Loïc Meillard stayed close. As a result, several of the discipline’s biggest names remain firmly in contention heading into the second run.
Who is within one second of the lead?
Six skiers finished the first run within one second of the lead. Notably, the group includes several athletes who have already won giant slaloms this season.
🇧🇷 Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA), bib 4, 2000, Oakley — 1:10.36
🇦🇹 Stefan Brennsteiner (AUT), bib 2, 1991 — +0.14
🇨🇭 Loïc Meillard (SUI), bib 5, 1996 — +0.35
🇦🇹 Marco Schwarz (AUT), bib 3, 1995, Atomic — +0.88
🇨🇭 Marco Odermatt (SUI), bib 1, 1997, Stöckli — +0.92
🇳🇴 Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR), bib 7, 1994 — +0.97
In fact, the top five alone include four World Cup GS winners this season, along with the Olympic champion. Therefore, the fierce pace at the front of the field is no surprise.
Why is Marco Odermatt chasing?
The biggest surprise of the run was Marco Odermatt, who started the race as the pre-race favorite.
The Swiss star set the early standard at 1:11.28. However, he skied aggressively but not as cleanly as he would have liked. As a result, his splits showed steady losses through the upper sections of the course. By the end of the first run, he trailed Pinheiro Braathen by 0.92 seconds, placing him fifth.
Importantly, Odermatt did not make a major mistake. Instead, the run lacked the dominant sector times that normally define his giant slalom skiing.
On a demanding slope like Podkoren 3, power and timing must be nearly perfect to carry speed across the terrain. Therefore, even small deficits early in the run can quickly grow into larger gaps.
Still, with six skiers inside a second, the Swiss star remains firmly in contention heading into the second run.
Did the course separate the field?
Yes. As the race moved through the second seed (bibs 8–15), the time gaps began to grow quickly.
Only six racers finished within one second of the lead. Meanwhile, by the middle of the field the deficit had stretched close to two seconds.
Despite the challenging terrain, the early starters handled the course well. In fact, none of the first 15 skiers failed to finish. That does not always happen on Podkoren 3 when racers push the limit.
However, the first skier to exit the race was 🇦🇩 Joan Verdú, whose coach set the course.
Verdú arrived in Kranjska Gora sitting 24th in the giant slalom standings, directly on the bubble to qualify for the World Cup Finals in Hafjell, Norway. Therefore, his DNF now leaves him waiting anxiously to see whether his points total holds inside the top 25 required to qualify.
Three Stifel U.S. Ski Team skiers reach the second run
A major positive storyline came from the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, which placed three skiers into the second run.
15th — 🇺🇸 River Radamus (USA), bib 12, 1998 — +1.95
23rd — 🇺🇸 Bridger Gile (USA), bib 51, 1999, Head, Oakley — +2.41
24th — 🇺🇸 Ryder Sarchett (USA), bib 31, 2003 — +2.48
Radamus led the Americans with a steady run that kept him inside the top 15.
Behind him, two high-bib performances added excitement to the race.
First, Bridger Gile, starting with bib 51, produced one of the best runs of his career to qualify 23rd. He celebrated the moment in the finish area after reaching the second run for only the second time in his World Cup career.
Meanwhile, Ryder Sarchett continued his promising season by qualifying from bib 31. The 2024 Junior World giant slalom champion and University of Colorado All-American once again showed the speed that has already brought him multiple second-run appearances this season.
Which high-bib skiers advanced to the second run?
Five racers starting outside the top 30 bibs moved into the second run.
20th — 🇮🇹 Filippo Della Vite (ITA), bib 33, 2001
23rd — 🇺🇸 Bridger Gile (USA), bib 51, 1999, Head, Oakley
24th — 🇺🇸 Ryder Sarchett (USA), bib 31, 2003
28th — 🇩🇰 Christian Borgnaes (DEN), bib 38, 1996
30th — 🇨🇭 Fadri Janutin (SUI), bib 47, 2000
At the end of the first run, Gile (bib 51) stood as the highest start number to qualify.
What happens next in Kranjska Gora?
With six elite racers separated by less than one second, the second run promises an intense fight for the podium on Podkoren 3.
Pinheiro Braathen will start last as the leader. However, Brennsteiner, Meillard, Schwarz, Odermatt, and Kristoffersen are all close enough to attack.
Therefore, the outcome of the race remains completely open.
First Run Top 30 Results
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First-Run Analysis: Fastest Three and Qualified North American
About the Author: Peter Lange
