Hook
Val d’Isere, France – Swiss skier Loic Meillard opened the World Cup slalom on Sunday with a leading time that placed him in position to claim his second victory of the Olympic season in two days.
Meillard’s Performance
Loic Meillard, the world champion in slalom, led the opening run of a World Cup slalom on Sunday. His performance positioned him to secure a second win in the Olympic season, a feat he achieved just two days after the previous event.
Swiss Sweep Saturday
The following day, Meillard led a Swiss sweep of the podium in a giant slalom on Saturday. This sweep highlighted the strength of the Swiss team in both slalom and giant slalom disciplines.
Norwegian Finish
Norwegians stood second, third and fourth in the giant slalom. Timon Haugan was a slim 0.05 seconds behind in second, Atle Lie McGrath was 0.14 seconds behind in third, and Henrik Kristoffersen was 0.43 seconds behind in fourth.
Brazilian Finish
Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen stood fifth, 0.51 seconds behind the Swiss leader. His placement added a notable Brazilian presence to the top five of the giant slalom.
British Finish
British skier Laurie Taylor raced into seventh with the No. 27 bib. Taylor’s seventh place finish added to the diverse field of competitors in the giant slalom.
Paco Rassat Incident
Paco Rassat, the French racer who won a slalom in Gurgle, Austria, last month, straddled a gate midway down the course during the slalom run. This incident was noted in the race report.
Olympic Schedule
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will be held Feb. 6-22, with men’s Alpine skiing to be held in Bormio. The schedule places the Alpine events in the early part of the Games.
Alpine Skiing Venue
Men’s Alpine skiing will take place in Bormio, a location chosen for its suitable terrain and facilities for the Olympic competition.
AP Olympics Resource
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics. This link provides additional information about the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Event Location
The slalom and giant slalom events occurred in Val d’Isere, France, a venue that hosted the World Cup races during the Olympic season.
Summary
Loic Meillard led the opening run of a World Cup slalom on Sunday in Val d’Isere, France, and was poised to claim his second victory of the Olympic season. The previous day’s giant slalom saw a Swiss sweep of the podium, with Norwegians finishing second, third, and fourth, Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen in fifth, and British skier Laurie Taylor in seventh. French racer Paco Rassat straddled a gate during the slalom run. The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will run from Feb. 6-22, featuring men’s Alpine skiing in Bormio. For more details, the AP Olympics link is provided.
Morgan J. Carter is a Texas-based journalist covering breaking news, local government, public safety, and community developments across Austin. With more than six years of reporting experience, Morgan focuses on delivering accurate, clear, and timely stories that reflect the fast-moving pulse of the city.
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