In a stunning display of dominance on the demanding Face de Bellevarde course, Loïc Meillard charged from fifth after the first run to claim victory in the men’s giant slalom at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, leading a complete Swiss podium sweep. Teammates Luca Aerni and Marco Odermatt joined him in second and third, marking the third all-Swiss men’s GS podium in World Cup history.
Meillard clocked a combined time of 2:10.07, edging Aerni by just 0.18 seconds and Odermatt by 0.33 seconds. The result delivered Meillard his eighth career World Cup win—his fifth in giant slalom—and his first victory since the season finals in Sun Valley last March.
Aerni, starting from a distant 13th after the opening run, produced a blistering second leg to secure the first giant slalom podium of his career, while Odermatt—despite some mistakes in the decisive run—extended his remarkable podium streak and took the lead in the GS discipline standings.
First-run leader Stefan Brennsteiner of Austria faltered in the shadows of the steep course, dropping to fifth, with Norway’s Timon Haugan slotting into fourth.
“It’s been a busy two weeks trying to find the rhythm again and get confidence back,” Meillard said post-race. “We did an amazing job as a team, and it’s thanks to them that I’m standing here.” He also reflected on the rare triple: “It’s not my first triple victory, but every time it’s amazing.”
The challenging conditions—deepening shadows and changing light—punished hesitation, rewarding the Swiss trio’s aggressive yet precise skiing on one of the World Cup’s most iconic technical hills.
Odermatt, the overall World Cup defending champion, settled for third after entering the second run in fourth, 0.46 seconds off the pace.
The Val d’Isère weekend continues Sunday with a slalom, where more technical fireworks are expected on the same legendary slope.
Final Podium – Men’s Giant Slalom, Val d’Isère
🥇 Loïc Meillard (SUI) – 2:10.07
🥈 Luca Aerni (SUI) – +0.18
🥉 Marco Odermatt (SUI) – +0.33
