Lucas Pinheiro Braathen / GEPA pictures
Marco Odermatt’s race ended early — and everything changed.
🇨🇭 The Swiss star set the fastest time in the opening sector of the final giant slalom of the World Cup season in Hafjell, showing immediate intent. But in the second sector, after a spectacular recovery, he was forced off line, launched into the air, and unable to make the next gate.
Just like that, the dominant force in giant slalom was out.
With Odermatt out, the race shifts completely. 🇧🇷 Lucas Pinheiro Braathen now controls the giant slalom title — and needs a fourth-place finish or better to secure his first career globe.
He delivered in the moment, taking the first-run lead and putting himself in position to decide both the race and the season in the final run.
Odermatt Takes DNF in Stride, Praises Pinheiro Braathen
Marco Odermatt made it clear his approach was not conservative.
“To fully attack, I probably did a little bit too much,” he said. “With those rolls, when you don’t really know how fast you go over them, it’s easy to be just a little late.”
That aggressive approach ultimately ended his race, but the Swiss star showed little frustration afterward.
“I deal with it quite well,” Odermatt said. “I achieved everything in this sport. I won so many races, so many globes, so many medals. Now I lost one, but that’s not the end of the world.”
Despite the DNF, Odermatt reflected positively on his season, even if he described his giant slalom campaign as inconsistent by his own standards.
“With the season in general, I’m very happy. My GS season was so-so,” he said. “But I won my most important race in Adelboden for the fifth time in a row. That was incredible. I won another Olympic medal and was in the fight for the globe until the very end.”
He also acknowledged the level of the skier now in control of the title race.
“Lucas is an amazing athlete, an amazing skier,” Odermatt said. “He’s good enough to win these things.”
Odermatt added that Pinheiro Braathen’s development reflects his upbringing in Norway, where he trained and learned the sport at the highest level.
Top 5 After First Run
- 1st 🇧🇷 Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA), Bib 4, 2000 — 1:11.24 (Atomic, Oakley)
- 2nd 🇦🇹 Stefan Brennsteiner (AUT), Bib 2, 1991 — +0.21
- 3rd 🇨🇭 Loïc Meillard (SUI), Bib 7, 1996 — +0.63
- 4th 🇩🇪 Fabian Gratz (GER), Bib 10, 1997 — +0.77
- 5th 🇳🇴 Atle Lie McGrath (NOR), Bib 5, 2000 — +0.97 (Head)
Pinheiro Braathen Delivers When It Matters
Faced with opportunity and pressure, Pinheiro Braathen delivered.
He attacked from the start, carried speed through the middle section, and stayed composed on the lower pitch to take the lead. It was a complete run — powerful, aggressive, and decisive, on a hill he knows well from many years of training and racing.
Now, he holds more than just the race lead. He controls the outcome of the season.
Brennsteiner sits just 0.21 seconds back and is perfectly positioned to attack in the second run. The Austrian has already proven he can win this season and now has a real chance to do it again.
Meillard, sitting third at +0.63, remains a serious threat. He has been one of the most consistent skiers all season and is capable of finding time when it matters most.
Second Run Wide Open Behind the Leader
The fight behind the leader is tight.
Gratz delivered one of the standout runs of the day in fourth, while Lie McGrath and Schwarz remain within reach. From fourth through eighth, the margins are narrow, with less than a second separating multiple skiers.
🇧🇪 Sam Maes sits tied for eighth at +1.51 after a strong and composed run, keeping himself firmly in contention for a top-10 finish.
At this level, races are decided at the limit — where strength, timing, and execution separate results. The second run will reward those who can push to the very limit without crossing that line.
Radamus Must Find More in Second Run
🇺🇸 River Radamus, the lone representative for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, sits 17th after the first run at +2.40.
Radamus is known for delivering strong second runs, and today he will need one to move into the top 15 and score points. He has the ability to make that move — and more — but it will require a clean, aggressive run.
End of an Era for Global Racing
Hafjell also marks the end of a significant chapter in the sport.
After 13 years, Paul Epstein is closing the door on his Global Racing Team. For 🇧🇪 Sam Maes, it marks the end of the only World Cup environment he has known, having spent his entire World Cup career within the program.
Maes delivered in that moment. Sitting tied for eighth after the first run, he remains in position to finish strong in the final race of that partnership.
Looking ahead, Epstein will return to his native country to take over as head coach of the men’s slalom and giant slalom (tech) team for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
Pinturault Takes Final World Cup Start
🇫🇷 Alexis Pinturault took the start in the final World Cup race of his career.
The 34-time World Cup winner and 2021 overall champion sits 15th after the first run at +2.23, still in position to score points as he closes out one of the most accomplished careers in the sport.
All to Play for in the Final Run
The setup is clear.
Pinheiro Braathen leads. Brennsteiner is within reach. Meillard is ready to attack.
The equation is simple. Pinheiro Braathen controls the title — finish fourth or better, and the globe is his.
At the World Cup Finals, only the top 15 score points. The margins are tight, the pressure is real, and the final run will decide everything.
First Run Results
click image to enlarge
First-Run Analysis: Fastest Three and USA’s River Radamus
About the Author: Peter Lange
