Kristoffersen takes GS to deny Pinheiro Braathen a first-ever Alpine skiing World Cup win for Brazil

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Henrik Kristoffersen won his first World Cup giant slalom in three years on Saturday, denying runner-up Lucas Pinheiro Braathen what would have been Brazil's first ever top-level victory in Alpine skiing.

Pinheiro Braathen improved from seventh after the opening run as he led the race with only first-run leader Kristofferson to come down.

The Norwegian lost more than half of his advantage but still finished a commanding 0.41 seconds ahead of his former teammate, who switched nations and returned to the circuit competing for Brazil this season after a year off.

“For sure, it means a lot. It was a really nice race, really good conditions,” Kristoffersen said.

The Norwegian was the 2018 Olympic silver medalist and 2019 world champion, and had his eighth World Cup win in the discipline but first since triumphing here in March 2022.

Swiss star Marco Odermatt, who trailed Kristoffersen by 0.15 after the opening run, dropped to third.

Odermatt smashed a ski pole against the boarding of the finish area after he finished 0.11 behind Pinheiro Braathen.

“When you start with an advantage, you want to keep it until the finish," said Odermatt, who is the Olympic and three-time World Cup GS champion.

No other skier than Kristoffersen or Odermatt has won in the seven GS races held on the Podkoren course since 2019, with the Norwegian winning it four times.

Pinheiro Braathen came close to ending the streak but had to settle for his fourth podium result since his switch to the Brazilian federation.

Joan Verdu of Andorra was third after the opening run but finished ninth.

River Radamus placed 12th after posting the second-fastest time in the final run on the hill where his former teammate Ted Ligety won a record six times between 2008 and 2014.

World champion Raphael Haaser finished seventh in his first race since winning gold on home snow in Saalbach-Hinterglemm two weeks ago.

The Austrian men’s team has not won any of the 34 World Cup races since Manuel Feller won a slalom in February 2024, matching its worst series of winless events in 1991-92.

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

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen celebrates winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, winner of an an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, and third-placed Switzerland's Marco Odermatt congratulate each other at the finish area, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, center ,winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, left, and third-placed Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, listens to the national anthem, next to second-placed Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, left, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, left, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, hugs second-placed Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Raphael Haaser competes in an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Andorra's Joan Verdu competes in an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt competes in an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen competes in an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)