SOELDEN, Austria :Switzerland's four-times overall World Cup champion Marco Odermatt began his season in emphatic fashion, claiming victory in the men's Giant Slalom at the Alpine Ski World Cup season-opener in Soelden, Austria, on Sunday.

Despite challenging weather conditions causing a delay to the second run, Odermatt held his nerve to build on his slender first-run lead of 0.01 seconds over Austria's Marco Schwarz.

Odermatt, who won giant slalom gold at the 2022 Games in Beijing, eventually crossed the finish line to secure the win by 0.24 seconds, marking his 46th World Cup victory.

The 28-year-old has now triumphed three times in the Austrian Alps, with his previous wins coming in 2021 and 2022.

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