Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will hope to defend his FIS World Cup lead ©Getty Images

Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will hope to defend his men's International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup lead with two races set to take place at Niigata Yuzawa Naeba.

Kilde took the World Cup lead last week by winning the super-G event in Austrian resort Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

The Norwegian leads the World Cup standings by 79 points from his compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen heading into the races in Japan.

With giant slalom and slalom races scheduled for the next two days, Kristoffersen will expect to close the gap in the overall classification.

Reigning world champion Kristoffersen currently lies second in the giant slalom World Cup standings behind Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec.

Kranjez and France’s Alexis Pinturault will eye further giant slalom success tomorrow.

Kranjez has earned three giant slalom podium finishes this season, including a victory at Adelboden in Switzerland last month.

Henrik Kristoffersen will eye giant slalom and slalom success in Japan ©Getty Images
Henrik Kristoffersen will eye giant slalom and slalom success in Japan ©Getty Images

Pinturault has won two giant slalom races so far this campaign and will be looking to complete a hat-trick of wins tomorrow.

Kristoffersen will be the man to beat in the slalom competition on Sunday (February 23).

The 25-year-old will be aiming for a third victory of the season in the discipline, with the Norwegian having topped the podium at Levi in Finland and Schladming in Austria.

The two victories and three second place finishes have put Kristoffersen at the top of the World Cup slalom leaderboard.