Ski World Cup Live Updates

Start Postponed! Change to the Men’s Giant Slalom

What can Stefan Brennsteiner and his teammates hope to achieve today?(Bild: GEPA)

World Cup opener for the men in the 2026/27 season: The start was moved to the backup course at the last minute. Who will win the race, and how will the Austrians fare? We’ll be reporting live (see below).

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“Due to current weather conditions, the jury, together with the LOC, has decided to move the start to the reserve starting position,” the FIS announced a few hours before the race began. Strong winds led to the decision. The fresh snow that has fallen, however, shouldn’t cause any problems.

ÖSV Men Impressed Last Year
With Marco Schwarz finishing 2nd, Stefan Brennsteiner 4th, and Raphael Haaser 6th, Austria’s giant slalom skiers got off to a dream start to the Alpine Ski World Cup season a year ago in Sölden. Today, they are among the co-favorites on the Rettenbachferner, alongside Olympic champion and overall World Cup winner Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) and Marco Odermatt (SUI). Everyone is eagerly awaiting this much-discussed benchmark race.

Marco Schwarz(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

After all, there are still weeks to go until the next giant slalom at the end of November in Copper Mountain to get back on track, should the season opener not go as hoped. “Last year’s motto was that we should be at the top level right from the start. That worked. Good results are inspiring; every top result brings something, but you can’t overestimate it,” said ÖSV men’s head coach Marko Pfeifer. What he wants to see is a winning mentality—he’d rather see determination and mistakes than a cautious approach and skiing just to secure a placement.

Odermatt is still hungry
The sport’s top athletes are brimming with drive. “When I try to get better every day, I know I can achieve great things,” Braathen announced. “I think I’m still hungry,” said Odermatt, who last winter had to hand over the small crystal globe in giant slalom to Braathen after four consecutive victories. If the five-time overall World Cup champion defends his title from last year in his 200th World Cup race, he will tie his compatriot Vreni Schneider and American Ted Ligety—both four-time Sölden winners—with 55 victories.

Over the 2025–26 season, Brennsteiner was the ÖSV’s top giant slalom skier, with seven top-5 finishes, including his first victory at Copper Mountain. The last Austrian triumph in Sölden took place twelve years ago and was achieved by Marcel Hirscher. Hirscher, who now races for the Netherlands, has not yet made a comeback following his injury layoff. After training on the course last week on old snow, Brennsteiner will now adjust to the fresh snow covering the course. “You gain this experience over the years so you know what to do,” he said.

Raphael Haaser(Bild: GEPA)

Schwarz explained that he won’t overestimate the race, whether it goes south or he makes it onto the podium. “But a good start is always worth its weight in gold. It really takes a lot of pressure off and boosts your confidence.” He considers himself and his teammates to be absolutely competitive. “We have a strong team dynamic. We don’t have to hide from anyone. But of course, you always have to keep the usual suspects in mind.”

Haaser continues to focus on three disciplines
Giant slalom world champion Raphael Haaser followed up his sixth-place finish in Sölden last season with an eighth- and a ninth-place finish later in the season. In the super-G, he finished third three times, and in the downhill, he placed fifth once. He’s once again focusing on three disciplines, with podium finishes possible in all of them. “I’ve put in the kilometers on the long skis, so I know I can go a bit further. And in the giant slalom, I’ve worked on bringing more consistency to my performance.”

His track record in Sölden got off to a rough start (three times unplaced), but has improved significantly over the past two years (seventh, sixth). “If things go similarly this year as they did last year, that’ll be a good way to kick off the season. We haven’t done too badly; I’m heading into Sunday with a positive outlook.” After switching equipment last season, he had to expect a few tough races. “There ended up being quite a few more. I hope things go much more consistently and better this year.”

Sturm Has the Speed, Eisner Makes His Debut
Joshua Sturm finished seventh at the World Cup finals in Hafjell in March, marking his first top-ten finish. “I now feel that I’m a big step closer to where I want to be. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I’m very ready and have a good plan,” explained the 25-year-old. Pfeifer sees the potential. “He’s got the speed—he’s got what it takes for a podium finish in the giant slalom. But he’s still a bit behind the top twenty, so we need to stay calm. It would be a great kickstart if he could make a bit of a breakthrough this year.”

Also competing for the ÖSV are Patrick Feurstein, Lukas Feurstein, Noel Zwischenbrugger, and, surprisingly, Jakob Eisner, who has never finished higher than 21st in the European Cup. The World Cup debutant from Carinthia is wary of the challenge due to the steep slope. “But it might suit me, because I prefer steep slopes in giant slalom. I want to give it everything I’ve got. With such a high start number, it won’t be an easy task.”