The men's overall in the 2025 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup is scheduled to consist of 38 events in four disciplines: downhill (DH) (9 races), super-G (SG) (8 races), giant slalom (GS) (9 races), and slalom (SL) (12 races).[1] After cancellations in both of the prior two seasons, the two downhills scheduled on the Matterhorn in mid-November were removed from the schedule.[2] Thus, for the third straight season, only the four major disciplines will be contested on the World Cup circuit.
Although Marco Odermatt of Switzerland had won the last three overall titles, his path to a fourth straight title would need to get past two new obstacles returning from their retirements, both of whom are sponsored by Red Bull, which is headquartered in Austria. First, Lucas Braathen of Norway, who retired after winning the 2023 slalom discipline title (and finishing fourth overall that season) before retiring over a dispute with the national team over his individual commercial rights changed his sponsoring nation to Brazil, his mother's home nation, with the approval of Norway and added his Portuguese middle name (Pinheiro) to his FIS registration.[4] Second, Marcel Hirscher of Austria, who retired from Alpine skiing in 2019 after winning eight consecutive men's overall titles, decided to return after five years away from the sport . . . but, like Braathen, for his mother's home nation: the Netherlands (again, with the approval of Austria).[5]
Early season
By placing second in each of the first two technical events (a giant slalom in Sölden and a slalom in Levi), two-time overall runner-up Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway jumped into the overall lead at the start of the season, ahead of his countryman Alexander Steen Olsen, who was leading after winning the giant slalom.[6] In the third technical event, another slalom, Kristoffersen only finished sixth, allowing 2022 Olympic slalom gold medalist Clément Noël, who won both of the first two slaloms of the season, to tie Kristoffersen for the overall lead through three races.[7]
After a week off, the men moved to Beaver Creek, Colorado (USA) for three races (DH, SG, GS). Defending overall champion Marco Odermatt of Switzerland was favored in each of the three races, and he won the super-G for his 38th World Cup victory,[8] but he was unset by his teammate Justin Murisier in downhill.[9] In the giant slalom, Kristoffersen's fifth-place finish (worth 45 points) was sufficient to put him in solo first pace, with Thomas Tumler of Switzerland collecting his first World Cup win and Odermatt once again failing to complete both runs.[10] Odermatt finally won a giant slalom this season when the World Cup circuit returned to Europe at Val d'Isère, France; however, Kristoffersen narrowly retained the overall lead over Odermatt.[11] Then, after an almost two-year victory drought, Kristoffersen won the slalom in Val d'Isére to stretch his lead to over 100 points, with his Norwegian teammate Atle Lie McGrath edging out Odermatt for second place.[12]
Finals
The finals in all disciplines will be held from 22 to 27 March 2025 in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.[13] Only the top 25 skiers in each World Cup discipline and the winner of the Junior World Championship in the discipline, plus any skiers who have scored at least 500 points in the World Cup overall classification for the season, are eligible to compete in the final, and only the top 15 finishers earn World Cup points.
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