LEVI, Finland (AP) — Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won a men’s World Cup slalom Sunday to give Brazil its first-ever victory in a top-level ski race less than three months before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Pinheiro Braathen held on to his commanding first-run lead to beat 2022 Olympic champion Clement Noel of France by 0.31 seconds. Finnish racer Eduard Hallberg was 0.57 back in third for his first career World Cup podium.

After finishing, Pinheiro Braathen clicked out of his skis, fell to his knees and screamed “yeah” with both arms in the air.

“It represents who I am, I think,” Pinheiro Braathen said. “I am trying to do it my way, trying to ski with my heart, trying to ski for myself instead of for others.”

It was Pinheiro Braathen's sixth career victory, but first since he started

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