Dec 7, 2025; Beaver Creek, Colorado, UNITED STATES; Loic Meillard of Switzerland competes during the men's giant slalom alpine skiing race during the FIS World Cup at Birds of Prey. Mandatory Credit: Marc Desrosiers-Imagn Images
VAL D'ISERE, France, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Switzerland completed a clean sweep in the men's World Cup giant slalom at Val d'Isere on Saturday as Loic Meillard stormed to victory with a superb second run ahead of Luca Aerni and third-placed Marco Odermatt.
It was the fifth giant slalom win of Meillard's career. The 29-year-old climbed from fifth after the opening run to secure the top spot with precision and composure.
Odermatt, the reigning Olympic giant slalom champion, arrived in Val d'Isere after winning two of the first three giant slalom races this season, including last weekend's triumph at Beaver Creek.
This time he faced a sterner test. Fourth after the first run and 0.46 seconds behind leader Stefan Brennsteiner, Odermatt struggled with mistakes in the decisive second leg and ultimately settled for third, 0.33 seconds behind Meillard.
Odermatt, 28, is a leading contender for multiple medals at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.
Austrian Brennsteiner, who had set the pace in the opening run, was unable to maintain his rhythm and slipped to fifth on La face de Bellevarde, one of the most demanding courses on the Alpine Ski World Cup circuit.
The Val d'Isere weekend continues on Sunday with the men's slalom, before the World Cup tour moves to Val Gardena/Groden for a three-day stop beginning on December 18.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
