The Albany Gazette - Pinheiro Braathen wins World Cup giant slalom title after Odermatt crashes

For Brazil's Pinheiro Braathen, the title was the icing on the cake for a 2026 season in which he became his continent's first Winter Olympic gold medallist -- also in the giant slalom.

"It's overwhelming, I came into these finals knowing I could leave with two globes, I could leave with zero, and anything in between, and after day one, we at least got one of them," Pinheiro Braathen said.

"To be able to look at this globe with the Brazilian flag on my chest is something I'm immensely proud of. I just want to keep on going and see how many more I can get," added the skier who won the slalom crystal globe in 2023 when representing his country of birth, Norway.

The 25-year-old swept through his two runs in a combined time of 2min 20.65sec.

Switzerland's Loic Meillard finished second, 0.58sec off the pace, with Norway's Atle Lie McGrath rounding off the podium, a further 0.29sec adrift.

It was a third consecutive giant slalom victory for Pinheiro Braathen, following his Olympic gold in Bormio and the giant slalom in Kranjska Gora 10 days ago.

- 'I won enough' -

Swiss star Marco Odermatt missed out on the crystal globe despite topping the standings ahead of the event as he recorded a DNF in his first run, leaving the season title open to Pinheiro Braathen.

"My plan was to take the risk, to try to attack, to try to fight for the victory, not just for some points for the globe and it didn't work out," Odermatt said.

"Sure a little bit sad but not completely frustrated –- I won enough."

A four-time winner of the giant slalom World Cup, the ultra-dominant Odermatt can nonetheless content himself at the season's end with the overall title, the downhill title and the super-G title.

The versatile 28-year-old had decided this season to focus on speed, even if it meant neglecting the giant slalom –- the discipline that established him as one of the greatest skiers in history.

The gamble paid off in part, as he won both speed globes, but he failed to secure the victories he desired the most –- the Kitzbuehel downhill, where he placed second, and the Olympic downhill in Italy as he finished just off the podium.

He missed out on the giant slalom globe as two flawless runs earned Pinheiro Braathen 100 points in the discipline table, which allowed the Brazilian to handsomely overcome the 48-point lead Odermatt had held over him.

Pinheiro Braathen topped the final standings on 547 points, with Odermatt in second and his compatriot Meillard nine points further back in third.

French skier Alexis Pinturault, 35, the 2021 overall World Cup winner, bid farewell to the sport with an 11th-placed he finish.

The men's finals end on Wednesday with the slalom race.

Trailing leader Lie McGrath by 41 points in that disciple, second-placed Pinheiro Braathen will have his eye on another late surge to victory.

(B.Smith--TAG)