Overview
- The 2025/26 World Cup begins this weekend on Sölden’s Rettenbach glacier, with the women’s giant slalom on Saturday and the men’s race on Sunday.
- Marco Odermatt enters as the men’s giant slalom favorite alongside Henrik Kristoffersen and Loic Meillard, while Mikaela Shiffrin is widely viewed as the leading overall contender.
- Reigning overall champion Federica Brignone misses Sölden due to serious leg injuries suffered at the end of last season, and her return timeline remains unclear.
- FIS measures take effect this season with mandatory cut-resistant base layers, airbags required in speed events, and a ban on carbon shin inserts, as safety concerns intensify after Matteo Franzoso’s fatal training crash and course changes in Sölden draw criticism.
- Germany’s team highlights include rising all-rounder Emma Aicher and an on-the-day start call for Alexander Schmid after a knee injury, while broader tensions persist over FIS plans to centralize commercial rights with an Infront deal from 2026/27.