Olympic champion Lucas Pinheiro Broten won the giant slalom in Sölden and started the new Alpine Skiing World Cup season with a victory. The Brazilian representative finished with a total time of 1:44.72 minutes and extended his streak to four consecutive victories in the event.
Broten was fastest in the first run with 52.40 seconds, and in the second he recorded 52.32 seconds. Loic Meylard of Switzerland was second, 48 hundredths behind, while his compatriot Marco Odermatt took third place, 49 hundredths behind the winner.
“The victory for me today is a relief because I prepared a lot in the summer“, Broten said after the race and thanked the audience for their support.Win streak after Olympic triumph
With the success in Austria, Broten continued the streak that began after his Olympic breakthrough. He also won the last two giant slaloms of last season, and his strong performance earned him the small crystal globe in the discipline.
The Norwegian-born skier has represented Brazil for two years. At the Milan-Cortina Games in February, he won the Olympic giant slalom title and brought South America its first medal at the Winter Olympics.
Tough conditions on the Rettenbach Glacier
The race in Sölden was held in strong winds on the upper part of the Rettenbach Glacier, which shortened the course. Austrian Marco Schwarz lost control shortly before the start of his descent, went through a gate and was eliminated in the first run.
For Odermatt, third place was his first podium of the season.
Broten also has a historic victory for Brazil in the slalom. His triumph in Levi nearly a year ago was the country's first in a World Cup Alpine Skiing start.
Sources: bta.bg, 24chasa.bg