Marco Odermatt / Wins 5th straight Adelbonden GS / GEPA pictures
Marco Odermatt delivered again on Adelboden’s Chuenisbärgli.
The Swiss star attacked from the top of the second run, carried his advantage through every section, and won Adelboden’s men’s giant slalom for a fifth consecutive year. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen finished second, 0.49 seconds back, and France’s rising Léo Anguenot completed the podium 0.68 behind as the home crowd roared for minutes after Odermatt crossed the line.
Top five – Adelboden men’s giant slalom
- 🇨🇭 1. Marco Odermatt (SUI) — 0.00
- 🇧🇷 2. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) — +0.49
- 🇫🇷 3. Léo Anguenot (FRA) — +0.68
- 🇳🇴 4. Timon Haugan (NOR) — +1.26
- 🇳🇴 5. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) — +1.43
Experience at the top, confidence under pressure
For Odermatt, Adelboden continues to bring out his best skiing. He said the atmosphere forces him to push harder every time he returns, calling it “probably the secret,” and explaining that the pressure from the crowd has become fuel rather than a distraction. “Everyone here really makes me push harder,” Odermatt said. “This energy, this extra pressure and motivation helps me to ski fast.”
The victory marked Odermatt’s 29th career World Cup giant slalom win and his 97th World Cup podium overall, reinforcing his position as the benchmark in the discipline. It also tied him with Ingemar Stenmark for five Adelboden giant slalom victories, one of the most iconic records in men’s alpine skiing.
When asked to compare his five wins on the Chuenisbärgli, Odermatt pointed back to the beginning. “The very first one to win here was probably still the best,” he said. “But yeah, every one is very cool.”
Friday’s result also brought Odermatt to 46 career World Cup GS podiums, placing him alongside Swiss greats Michael von Grünigen SUI and Vreni Schneider SUI in the discipline’s all-time list. Odermatt admitted he hadn’t been aware of that milestone before it was mentioned. “I didn’t know that,” he said, smiling. “But Michael is here for sure, so thanks for putting my name next to yours.”
Behind him, Pinheiro Braathen delivered another composed performance. The Brazilian gave up time early in his second run but found decisive speed in the lower section to secure second place, earning his eighth career World Cup GS podium. A victory would have been only the third GS win of his career, underscoring how narrow the margins remain even at the top of the discipline.
Anguenot confirmed that his breakout performance at Alta Badia was no fluke. After posting the fourth-fastest time in the opening run from bib 27, the Frenchman backed it up with another aggressive second run to claim just the second World Cup podium of his career — both skiing giant slalom.
Pinheiro Braathen’s redemption on a daunting hill
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen delivered a composed second run, giving up time early before finding decisive speed at the bottom to secure second place. The result marked his eighth career World Cup GS podium and his first-ever GS podium in Adelboden, a deeply personal breakthrough after a serious knee injury on the same slope.
“I am so emotional right now,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen the finish line here in Adelboden since I injured my knee. I worked so much mentally — even going to therapy specifically for this race — to be able to overcome it.”
The Brazilian said the result carried years of weight. “Man, did it take some years,” he said. “But when I came back, I came back all the way to the podium. Words can’t really describe how proud I am right now.”
Anguenot confirms his breakthrough
“It was icy, which is what I like,” Anguenot said. “The visibility was poor, but I tried to stay calm and ski like I did in the first run. That was exactly the plan.”
The setting made the moment even more special. “Adelboden has a special place in my heart,” he said. “I’m so happy to do it here with an amazing crowd and my family.”
Biggest movers – second run
- 🇺🇸 River Radamus (USA, Stifel U.S. Ski Team) — 7th, +1.67, +23 positions, fastest second run
- 🇩🇪 Stefan Gratz (GER) — 9th, +1.92, +14 positions
- 🇨🇭 Thomas Tumler (SUI) — 12th, +2.23, +12 positions
Second run defined by movement
Radamus charges from 30th with fastest second run
The second run rewarded commitment and heavily punished even small mistakes, producing multiple DNFs and reshaping the leaderboard repeatedly.
The biggest mover of the day was River Radamus of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, who qualified 30th for the second run to keep his streak alive and then turned the race on its head. Radamus posted the fastest second-run time, climbed 23 positions, and finished seventh, securing his fifth consecutive top-10 result.
Radamus said the opportunity nearly slipped away after a difficult opening run that left him barely inside the top 30. “I had a pretty bad first run. I didn’t know if I was going to get a second run,” he said. “But once I got it, I knew I had to take advantage and give it everything I had.”
‘I was pushing on the limit’
He did exactly that, attacking from the top and immediately setting the standard as the first skier out of the gate. Radamus held the lead through much of the second run, seeing off a long list of established names who carried first-run advantages. He locked in a top-10 finish before surrendering the lead.
“I was pushing on the limit for sure,” Radamus said, describing a run that demanded total commitment. Adelboden, he added, remains one of the most meaningful races on the calendar. “It’s one of the special races. It’s a privilege just to be part of it. The crowd gives you so much energy, and I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to put on a show.”
By the time Radamus finally dropped out of podium contention, his result was already secure. He put the performance in perspective afterward, noting how close he had come to missing the second run entirely. “I could have just as easily been sitting on the couch watching the second run,” he said. “So I’m happy with whatever comes now. What a cool race.”
Standings swing at the top
With the victory, Odermatt reclaimed the lead in the 2026 World Cup giant slalom standings, gaining 100 points on Stefan Brennsteiner, who entered Adelboden leading the discipline but failed to finish. The break in the competition schedule appeared to rejuvenate Odermatt, who skied with clarity, control, and confidence from the first gate to the last.
As the celebration continued long after the finish, the message was unmistakable. In Adelboden, pressure does not slow Marco Odermatt down — it pushes him faster.
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About the Author: Peter Lange
