The weekend at Birds of Prey ends with a big surprise. Thomas Tumler secures his first Alpine Ski World Cup victory by winning the Giant Slalom at Beaver Creek. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was second +0.12 seconds behind the Swiss. Zan Kranjec completed the podium in third place.
At the age of 35, after a total of 124 World Cup races, Tumler can finally call himself a World Cup winner. Tumler is the second oldest Giant slalom winner in World Cup history after his Swiss compatriot Didier Cuche. Before today, he achieved the last of his three podium finishes in the Giant Slalom at the Alpine Ski World Cup Finals in Saalbach in March 2024, and the first in Beaver Creek in 2018. Tumler laid the foundations for his victory with an exceptional first run, followed by a tactical second run to fend off a full attack from Braathen, who posted the fastest time in the second run to move from fourth to second.
The last time a Swiss skier won the Giant Slalom at Beaver Creek was 15 years ago, in 2009, with Carlo Janka.
"I always enjoy being here. I love the snow and the terrain here. Last year, when the World Cup calendar came out with the Beaver Creek race, I jokingly said to my wife: I'm going to win this Giant Slalom. It's really great, and I'm proud and happy that I've been able to achieve this in my life. It means a lot to me; a World Cup victory is every skier's big goal. It's nice that never giving up is paying off. Now our team has won all three races. A great story," Tumler said.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made history by finishing second. He gave Brazil its first podium finish in a World Cup race. He has finished on the podium 13 times in the World Cup, but the previous 12 were for Norway.
"I just think it's such a privilege to be able to be the first one to bring the Brazilian flag, something that I'm so proud of, up to a winter sports World Cup podium. Words cannot describe the emotions that I'm feeling right now. I'm just beyond grateful for everyone who supported me up until this day," Pinheiro Braathen said.
Zan Kranjec has finished on the podium 15 times in the Alpine Ski World Cup, all in the Giant Slalom.
"I felt good on the skis, I skied well and attacked. I know there were a few small details I could do better, but otherwise, I'm really happy because I was worried that I wouldn't have enough speed on this slope. That's why I'm even more happy that I showed that I can ski fast also here in the US, in Beaver Creek. It was a good day for me," Kranjec said.
The Swiss team secures a triple victory in Beaver Creek after winning the Downhill, Super-G, and Giant Slalom.
For the second time, in the second Giant Slalom of the season, Marco Odermatt did not finish the second run. The Swiss misses out on the points, just like at the season opener in Sölden.
Odermatt has not finished any of the last three Giant Slalom races he has started (Saalbach, Sölden, and Beaver Creek). Before Saalbach, the last time the Swiss DNF a Giant Slalom race was in Beaver Creek in December 2019. Until Saalbach Odermatt had finished on the podium in all of his last 26 World Cup starts in the Giant Slalom, including 21 victories.
The Men are returning to Europe for a Giant Slalom on Saturday and a Slalom on Sunday next weekend in Val d'Isère, France.
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