Pinheiro Braathen performs snow samba to celebrate Brazil's first podium in a World Cup ski race

It’s not just soccer anymore. Brazil is finding World Cup success in skiing now, too.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen became the first Brazilian skier to finish on a World Cup podium when he placed second in a giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Sunday.

Pinheiro Braathen celebrated the achievement in truly Brazilian — and Pinheiro — style: with a samba dance on the podium, the Brazilian flag wrapped around his waist and cowboy boots on his feet.

“What a moment to break out a dance in front of all these amazing fans here today. I came onto the circuit to make a difference. I came here to be myself and hopefully be an inspiration to the outcasts out there, to the people that feel a bit different, to follow their own path,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to be the first one to bring the Brazilian flag — something that I’m so proud of — up to a winter sport World Cup podium,” he added.

Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He had raced for Norway until abruptly retiring a little more than a year ago after getting into a dispute with the Norwegian ski federation following modeling work for a rival brand of the federation’s clothing supplier.

In March, Pinheiro Braathen announced his comeback for Brazil, a federation that had not been represented on Alpine skiing’s World Cup circuit since 2016.

Brazil has never won a medal at the Winter Olympics but now Pinheiro Braathen will likely be a contender at next season’s Milan-Cortina Games. So could Nicole Silveira, who finished third in a World Cup skeleton race in Pyeongchang, South Korea, last month for Brazil’s first podium result in a winter sport.

The only man who competed in Alpine skiing for Brazil at the 2022 Beijing Olympics was Michel Macedo, who didn’t finish his second slalom run.

Pinheiro Braathen's result got little coverage in Brazil on Sunday, which was also the day when the final round of the nation's soccer league was being played. But skiing is hardly followed in Brazil, where there is not much in the way of Alpine resorts. Argentina and Chile are better known as skiing destinations in South America.

Pinheiro Braathen won five World Cup races when he represented Norway: three slaloms and two giant slaloms. He also won the 2022-23 season-long slalom title — overcoming a midseason appendectomy.

One of skiing’s most vibrant personalities, known for painting his fingernails and a taste for fashion, Pinheiro Braathen often cites Ronaldinho and Dennis Rodman as his idols. He noted how many challenges he’s had to overcome in the sport.

“It’s standing up against all the pressure and all the potential judgement that follows when going your own path,” he said, noting that skiing is “a quite masculine” sport.

“Being someone (who) likes to dress a bit differently and do me, I just take pride in that and I hope that the history that I’m able to write today can represent the effect of following your own path and the potential that lies in just being who you are in order to be happy,” Pinheiro Braathen added.

Having put down the fastest second run after placing fourth in the opening leg, Pinheiro Braathen finished a slim 0.12 seconds behind Swiss first-time winner Thomas Tumler to improve upon two fourth-place finishes earlier this season. He celebrated with skiing’s version of a mic drop, letting both of his skis fall to the snow as he faced a crowd that included a fan club wearing the yellow jerseys of Brazil’s national soccer team.

Up next, Pinheiro Braathen will aim for Brazil’s first victory on snow in giant slalom and slalom races in Val d’Isere, France, next weekend — where his mom, Alessandra, who is from Sao Paulo, is expected to be on hand to cheer him on.

AP Sports Writer Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo contributed.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Second place finisher Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen celebrates after a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Second place finisher Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, left, wears cowboy boots during a medal ceremony after a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen competes during a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after competing in a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Second place finisher Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen celebrates with a Brazilian flag tied around his waist after a men's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Michael Olise scored twice as Bayern Munich started the new year by routing Wolfsburg 8-1 with six second-half goals to move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz picked apart the Wolfsburg defense on Sunday in a display of dominance which leaves Bayern firmly on course to defend the title in only the 16th game of the 34-game season.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was pleased his players didn't let up.

“It’s these moments where it’s five, six, 7-1, and they keep running, they keep pressing and keep trying to score goals," he told broadcaster DAZN. "I have to say, I like that.”

In freezing temperatures for Bayern's first game since the winter break, Olise got a brace and Kane and Díaz one apiece, along with goals for substitutes Raphael Guerreiro and Leon Goretzka, and two Wolfsburg own-goals.

Bayern only had two nervous moments all game. The first was Dzenan Pejcinovic's goal for Wolfsburg in the 13th, which leveled the score at 1-1 after right back Konrad Laimer missed an interception.

The other was a brief injury scare for Kane, who needed treatment after being caught on the ankle by defender Moritz Jenz midway through the first half but was soon back in action.

It was Bayern's biggest margin of victory in a Bundesliga game since Kompany took over ahead of the 2024-25 season. His team has scored a remarkable 63 goals in 16 league games this season, nearly four per game, and conceded only 12.

Bayern hasn't lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe's five biggest leagues. Wolfsburg is 14th, three points above the relegation zone, as a troubled season hits a new low.

Bayern's closest rivals all had difficulties this weekend as second-place Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to Stuttgart and Leipzig’s game was postponed due to snow.

Wolfsburg's American midfielder Kevin Paredes entered in the 77th minute, his first match this season after recovering from foot surgery in August.

Also Sunday, United States full back Joe Scally scored his first goal since 2023 as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Augsburg 4-0. Gladbach moved up two places to 10th after winning at home for only the second time this season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Munich's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Munich's Michael Olise celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Mönchengladbach's Joe Scally, center, celebrates scoring with teammates during the Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Mönchengladbach - FC Augsburg in Mönchengladbach, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Munich's Michael Olise celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Munich's Harry Kane celebrates scoring during the Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, Sunday Jan. 11, 2026. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)