How did Slovenian skiers start the new winter? In the first ride, the fatal plain, in the second, the steepness.
The new season of the Alpine Ski World Cup opened with giant slalom races at the traditional venue in Soelden, Austria. Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the men's event after posting the fastest time in the first run and defending his lead against Swiss rival Loic Meillard by 0.48 seconds. In the women's race, American Paula Moltzan narrowly defeated Albania's Lara Colturi by just one hundredth of a second, while Germany's Emma Aicher took third place. Among the Slovenian competitors, Zane Kranjec advanced to the final run where he improved his position to finish 18th, noting that he lost time on flat sections in the first run but struggled on steep slopes in the second. Neja Dvornik, returning to competition after nearly a year away due to an ankle injury, finished 30th after losing ground in the second run and dropping her ski pole.
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen opened the new Alpine skiing World Cup season with a victory in the men's giant slalom at Sölden, Austria, on Sunday. The 26-year-old defended his lead from the first run to finish ahead of Swiss rivals Loïc Meillard and Marco Odermatt. Braathen’s winning time was 1 minute 44.72 seconds. Meillard crossed the line 0.48 seconds behind him, while Odermatt followed just one hundredth of a second later. This marked Braathen’s second win on the Rettenbach glacier, having previously triumphed there in 2020 under the Norwegian flag. It was also his fourth consecutive giant slalom victory, extending a streak that began last season. The race served as the season opener for the technical disciplines. Conditions required a shortened course due to wind, which prevented starts from the highest point. Despite this, Braathen dominated the field, building a gap of nearly half a second over the rest of the competitors during the first run. He maintained control in the second run, securing the red bib of the overall leader early in the campaign. For Odermatt, the result ended a pursuit of a fourth win at Sölden, which would have tied American Ted Ligety’s record for the most victories at the venue. Odermatt remains at three wins there. Although he started his 200th World Cup race, he did not achieve his 55th career victory, a milestone that would have surpassed Austrian legend Hermann Maier. Instead, he secured his 103rd podium finish. Meillard claimed his first podium on the Rettenbach glacier. The Swiss skier noted that the steep slope made it difficult to take risks, yet he managed to edge out his compatriot Odermatt by a single hundredth of a second in the final stretch. Meillard described the achievement as pleasant, though he rejected the notion of relief. Odermatt, who had dealt with a muscle injury during preparation that delayed his training camp in South America by a week, expressed satisfaction with regaining his competitive feel. He stated that returning to the podium was positive after a challenging pre-season. Among the Slovenian participants, Žan Kranjec finished in 18th place, trailing the winner by 1.59 seconds. He qualified for the final with a 24th-place time in the opening run before improving to 13th in the second. Kranjec told TV Slovenia that combining the best sections of both runs could have yielded a better result. He acknowledged losing time on the flat parts in the first run and making errors on the steep sections in the second. The skier added that his form has recently improved and that the race confirmed his competitiveness when executing his technique correctly. He emphasized the need to build confidence to perform consistently in every turn. His equipment functioned well, but he noted minor adjustments needed with his technician. Miha Oserban, the other Slovenian entrant, failed to qualify for the second run. In the women’s giant slalom held earlier in the day, American Paula Moltzan won by a margin of one hundredth of a second over Albania’s Lara Colturi. Germany’s Emma Aicher took third place, finishing 0.52 seconds behind the winner. The sole Slovenian competitor, Neja Dvornik, returned to the circuit after nearly a year away due to an ankle injury. She placed 19th in the first run but dropped to 30th in the final standings. Dvornik explained that she lost a ski pole during her second descent, which hindered her performance on the difficult steep terrain. She stated that despite believing it could be her best day at Sölden, she struggled to maintain the necessary speed level without the full equipment. The results highlighted the continued dominance of the top tier in giant slalom. Braathen enters the season as the Olympic champion and holder of the small crystal globe in the discipline. Last winter, he won three World Cup races, two in giant slalom and one in slalom. He intends to compete in super-G this season as well, aiming to challenge Odermatt for the overall title. Odermatt, the winner of the overall World Cup standings in each of the last five winters, faces stiff competition from Braathen and Meillard. The podium composition mirrored the previous season’s discipline standings, indicating little change in the hierarchy among the elite skiers. Other notable performances included Austrian Raphael Haaser, who moved up from 20th to fifth place. American River Radamus finished fourth. Norway sent six skiers to the final, with Eirik Hystad Solberg placing eighth. Several Swiss skiers, including Thomas Tumler and Lenz Hächler, scored points but did not advance further into the rankings. Hächler earned points for the second time in his young career. The event concluded with Braathen cementing his status as a primary contender for the upcoming season, while Odermatt prepares for the remainder of the calendar. The next competitions will test whether these top performers can sustain their momentum throughout the winter.
6 reports
Siol.netState / PublicCenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 98
The Alpine skiing World Cup season opens this weekend at the Rettenbach ice slope in Soelden, Austria, featuring Slovenia’s sole female giant slalom competitor, Neja Dvornik, who returns after a November ankle injury. On Sunday, two Slovenian men, veteran Zane Kranjec and young Miha Oserban, will compete in the men’s giant slalom. Kranjec expressed his goal to fight for podium finishes, noting that he has been in the top ten only in the first two races last season. Dvornik described her return as an opportunity rather than pressure, stating she feels confident despite occasional ankle discomfort. Both athletes discussed their off-season preparations, including training in New Zealand and Argentina, and emphasized the unique psychological focus required before the season-opening race.
Bias read (Center): The article covers a standard sports event preview focusing on athlete interviews, training regimens, and competitive goals. There is no political content, controversy, or ideological framing present in the text.
Why factuality: no official source document/info detected
Why objectivity (98): The tone is professional and journalistic. It presents quotes from the athletes neutrally and provides context about their recent form and injuries without injecting bias or emotional language. The framing is balanced, focusing on the upcoming competition rather than taking sides.
The new season of the Alpine Ski World Cup opened with giant slalom races at the traditional venue in Soelden, Austria. Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the men's event after posting the fastest time in the first run and defending his lead against Swiss rival Loic Meillard by 0.48 seconds. In the women's race, American Paula Moltzan narrowly defeated Albania's Lara Colturi by just one hundredth of a second, while Germany's Emma Aicher took third place. Among the Slovenian competitors, Zane Kranjec advanced to the final run where he improved his position to finish 18th, noting that he lost time on flat sections in the first run but struggled on steep slopes in the second. Neja Dvornik, returning to competition after nearly a year away due to an ankle injury, finished 30th after losing ground in the second run and dropping her ski pole.
Bias read (Center): The article covers a standard sports event with no political implications. The tone is neutral, focusing on race results, times, and direct quotes from athletes regarding their performance and technical challenges. There is no evidence of bias or political framing.
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the opening men's World Cup giant slalom of the season in Soelden, Austria. Swiss skiers Loic Meillard and Marco Odermatt finished second and third, respectively, while top Slovenian competitor Zhan Kranjec placed 18th. Kranjec provided post-race comments to TV Slovenia, noting that he showed good form but needs to improve consistency across different sections of the course. The article highlights Braathen's status as the defending Olympic champion and World Cup discipline winner, suggesting his victory confirms his continued competitiveness at the highest level.
Bias read (Center): The article covers a standard sports event with no political implications. The tone is neutral, focusing on race results, times, and athlete quotes regarding performance and technique.
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the opening World Cup giant slalom of the season in Soelden, Austria, securing his second victory at this venue after leading from the first run. Swiss skiers Loic Meillard and Marco Odermatt finished second and third, respectively, with Odermatt missing out on a fourth win at the location that would have tied Ted Ligety's record. The race marked the start of the new season for Braathen, who entered as the Olympic champion and defending small crystal globe holder, immediately taking the lead in the overall standings. Slovenia's Zane Kranjec finished 18th, noting that combining his best sections from both runs could have yielded a better result, while fellow countryman Miha Oserban did not qualify for the final run.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sporting event with standard sports journalism conventions. It includes direct quotes from the national athlete regarding performance and equipment, which is typical for domestic sports coverage but does not constitute political bias or editorializing on a contested issue.
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won the opening men's World Cup giant slalom of the season in Soelden, Austria, finishing with a time of 1:44.72. Swiss skier Loic Meillard took second place, followed by his compatriot Marco Odermatt in third. Slovenia's Zane Kranjec finished 18th, while teammate Miha Oserban did not qualify for the second run. Kranjec stated he was dissatisfied with the result but noted positive aspects regarding his technique and equipment performance during the race. The victory marks the start of a new season for Braathen, who enters the competition as the defending Olympic champion and small crystal globe holder.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a sporting event with no political implications. The tone is neutral, focusing on race results, times, and athlete quotes regarding their performance.
The provided text consists solely of a headline announcing the results of the World Cup giant slalom event for female Alpine skiers held in Soelden. No further details regarding specific athletes, race times, standings, or contextual information are included in the excerpt.
Bias read (Center): The content concerns a sporting event result, which is apolitical by nature. There is no political framing, controversy, or policy discussion present in the text.
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