Norwegian Giants Dominate Alpine Skiing World Cup Opener

Alexander Steen Olsen secured a win in the season's first World Cup race, leading a complete Norwegian podium finish in the Giant Slalom in Austria. Olsen maintained his position despite a challenging second run. Marcel Hirscher's return for the Netherlands resulted in a 23rd-place finish.

Alexander Steen Olsen claimed a stunning victory in the men's opening World Cup race of the season, leading a complete Norwegian podium sweep. The Giant Slalom event, hosted on the slopes of the Austrian Alps, saw Olsen holding a strong lead after the first run.

Despite challenging conditions with a deteriorating course, Olsen's impressive time of two minutes, 09.50 seconds, held off all competition in the second run. Henrik Kristoffersen followed closely, finishing 0.65 seconds behind, while Atle Lie McGrath secured third place, narrowly missing second by a fraction of a second.

Lucas Braathen, returning to compete for Brazil, finished just shy of the podium in fourth place. Meanwhile, Marcel Hirscher made his comeback, racing for the Netherlands, but managed only a 23rd-place finish.

(With inputs from agencies.)