<p>KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — Swiss skier Loïc Meillard edged Alexis Pinturault to lead the penultimate men’s World Cup giant slalom of the season after the opening run Saturday.</p>
<p>Meillard was 0.11 seconds faster than the Frenchman, who leads the discipline and the overall standings.</p>
<p>Meillard has six career podiums, including one win from a parallel GS a year ago.</p>
<p>Stefan Brennsteiner of Austria was 0.51 behind in third.</p>
<p>Fourth-place Marco Odermatt had 0.61 to make up in the second leg. The Swiss skier trails Pinturault by 25 points in the GS standings.</p>
<p>The only other contender for the season title, Croatia’s Filip Zubcic, finished more than two seconds off the lead.</p>
<p>One more GS is scheduled after Saturday’s race — at the season-ending finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, next week.</p>
<p>Pinturault and Odermatt are also ranked 1-2 in the overall standings, with the Frenchman holding a lead of 81 points.</p>
<p>Marco Schwarz opted not to start. The combined world champion from Austria hurt his back in training this week and preferred to rest ahead of Sunday’s slalom, his strongest discipline.</p>
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