Žan Kranjec dropped to 24th place after the opening run of the men’s giant slalom at the season-opening World Cup on the Rettenbach glacier in Sölden on Oct. 25, 2026, struggling on the flat bottom section after shortening of the course due to heavy wind and snow.
The 61st Alpine skiing World Cup season got underway in Austria on Oct. 25, 2026, following snow and wind that forced organizers to shorten the racecourse and lower the start gate by 10 gates. Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen seized the lead on the opening run with a time of 52.40 seconds, followed by Switzerland’s Loic Meillard in second and Austria’s Stefan Brennsteiner in third.
Kranjec Loses Time on the Flat Finish After Equipment and Coach Changes
Entering the season with a new equipment supplier and a new coach, Denis Šteharnik, Slovenian veteran Žan Kranjec posted a time of 53.80 seconds with his starting bib number eight. While his initial sections drew praise, the 33-year-old Vodičan lost critical momentum on the lower flats.
Three-quarters of the course were solid, but I lost too much on the flat section,
Žan Kranjec told Val 202 and RTVSLO. That's bothering me a bit, I don't know where I lost so much time.
Kranjec acknowledged that adjusting to entirely new material brings unknowns, a sentiment reinforced by his coaching staff as they test setups on the glacier.
Entering his 14th season in the World Cup, the silver Olympic medalist holds 15 podium finishes in his career, including three previous top-three results in Sölden where he took second place four years ago. The broader Slovenian team in Sölden also includes Neja Dvornik, Andreja Slokar, Neja Dvornik, Nika Tomšič, Martin Čater, Nejc Naraločnik, Rok Ažnoh, and Miha Oserban.
Oserban Misses the Final as Sölden Conditions Challenge the Field
Young teammate Miha Oserban, competing on the World Cup stage with bib number 64, finished his first run in 56th place with a time of 2.88 seconds behind the leader. The 20-year-old missed qualification for the top-30 second run by 1.25 seconds, aiming to gather elite experience after competing in the South American Cup in Ushuaia earlier in the year.
Race organizers battled heavy snowfall and shifting weather throughout the weekend on the Rettenbach glacier, where Jakob Falkner, head of the local cable car operations, noted that teams relied heavily on stored reserves from the previous winter alongside natural cold snaps to prepare the track.
The Afternoon Battle for the Sölden Podium
As the second run got underway, attention focused on whether Pinheiro Braathen could hold off defending giant slalom globe winner Marco Odermatt—who finished the morning run in fourth place, 55 stotink behind the leader—and secure a victory on the Austrian glacier. Odermatt was seeking a fourth victory on the Rettenbach slope to tie American Ted Ligety as the most successful skier at the venue, while Braathen aimed to build on his Olympic gold medal and last season’s title challenge.
| Rank | Skier | Country | First Run Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucas Pinheiro Braathen | Brazil | 52.40 s |
| 2 | Loic Meillard | Switzerland | +0.24 s |
| 3 | Stefan Brennsteiner | Austria | +0.49 s |
| 4 | Marco Odermatt | Switzerland | +0.55 s |
| 24 | Žan Kranjec | Slovenia | +1.40 s |
Other contenders in the field included Norwegian skiers Henrik Kristoffersen, Atle Lie McGrath, Timon Haugan, and Alexander Steen Olsen, the latter returning from a knee injury following a victory at his previous Sölden appearance. Technical specialists also look toward the upcoming races in November in Levi and Gurgl, with the season’s ultimate highlight arriving in February 2027 at the world championships in Crans-Montana.