Loic Meillard leads Swiss podium sweep at World Cup giant slalom in Val d'Isere

VAL D'ISERE, France (AP) — Swiss skiers Loic Meillard, Luca Aerni and Marco Odermatt swept the podium places in a World Cup giant slalom on Saturday.

Meillard moved up from fifth after the opening run to win by 0.18 seconds ahead of Aerni and 0.33 ahead of Odermatt, the overall World Cup leader.

Timon Haugan finished fourth and first-run leader Stefan Brennsteiner ended up fifth as the racers struggled to find the racing line when the steep Bellevarde course was mostly covered by shade.

It was Meillard’s eighth World Cup victory and first since winning the giant slalom at last season’s finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.

The Swiss team, which also dominated at last season’s world championships, is shaping up as the squad to beat in men’s skiing at the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics.

American racer River Radamus had the fastest second run and finished sixth after placing 21st in the morning run. In a solid day for the U.S. Ski Team, Ryder Sarchett placed a career-best 10th.

A slalom race is scheduled for the Bellevarde on Sunday.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Switzerland's Loic Meillard, right, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, celebrates with fellow-countrymen second placed Luca Aerni and third placed Marco Odermatt, center, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men¥s World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d¥Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard reacts after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard, right, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, poses with fellow-countrymen second placed Luca Aerni, second from right, and third placed Marco Odermatt, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Norway's Timon Haugan speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Austria's Stefan Brennsteiner speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Saturday Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — The United States says it is lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash in the latest sign of a thaw between Washington and the isolated autocracy.

John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, made the announcement after meeting the country’s authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Friday and Saturday.

A close ally of Russia, Minsk has faced Western isolation and sanctions for years. Lukashenko has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, and the country has been repeatedly sanctioned by Western countries both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Speaking with journalists, Coale described the two-day talks as “very productive,” Belarus’ state news agency Belta reported Saturday.

The U.S. envoy said that normalizing relations between Washington and Minsk was “our goal.”

“We’re lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners. We’re constantly talking to each other,” he said, according to Belta. He also said that the relationship between the countries was moving from “baby steps to more confident steps” as they increased dialogue.

The last time U.S. officials met with Lukashenko in September 2025, Washington announced easing some of the sanctions against Belarus while Mink released more than 50 political prisoners into Lithuania. Overall, Belarus released more than 430 political prisoners since July 2024, in what was widely seen as an effort at a rapprochement with the West.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press on Saturday that sanctions relief was part of a deal between Minsk and Washington, in which another large group of political prisoners in Belarus were expected to be released.

“The freeing of political prisoners means that Lukashenko understands the pain of Western sanctions and is seeking to ease them,” Tsikhanouskaya said.

She added: “But let’s not be naive: Lukashenko hasn’t changed his policies, his crackdown continues and he keeps on supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. That’s why we need to be extremely cautious with any talk of sanctions relief, so that we don't reinforce Russia's war machine and encourage continued repressions.”

Tsikhnouskaya also described European Union sanctions against Belarusian potash fertilizers as far more painful for Minsk that those imposed by the U.S, saying that while easing U.S. sanctions could lead to the release of political prisoners, European sanctions should push for longterm, systemic changes in Belarus and the end of Russia's war in Ukraine.

The latest round discussions also touched on Venezuela, as well as Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Belta said.

Coale told reporters that Lukashenko had given “good advice” on how to address the conflict, saying that Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin were “longtime friends” with “the necessary level of relationship to discuss such issues.”

"Naturally, President Putin may accept some advice and not others,” Coale said.

In this photo released by Belarusian presidential press service, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, right, and U.S. Presidential envoy John Coale shake hands during their meeting in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Belarusian Presidential Press Service via AP)