Monney earns first World Cup win after mistake by Swiss teammate Odermatt

BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Alexis Monney claimed his first World Cup victory in a downhill after a rare mistake from his lauded Swiss teammate Marco Odermatt on Saturday.

It appeared as if Franjo Van Allmen, fourth out of the gate, was set to triumph after the big names failed to beat his run down the famed Stelvio course in Bormio.

But Monney, who started 19th, put down an even bolder run to finish 0.24 seconds ahead of his compatriot in a Swiss one-two.

Monney had never been on a World Cup podium before and had only two top-10 finishes to his name — 10th in Wengen in 2023 and eighth in Kitzbühel last January.

“It is a crazy day,” Monney said. “It is amazing and I am happy. It will be one of the best memories of my life.

“I came to the start and the plan stayed the same as this morning and yesterday. I was really focused and I knew that what I had in my head was good.”

Cameron Alexander of Canada was third, 0.72 behind Monney, to push Italian skier Mattia Casse off the podium by seven hundredths of a second — much to the disappointment of the passionate local fans.

Odermatt was fifth, 0.80 behind Monney, but it could have been worse for the defending downhill champion had he not made an extraordinary recovery.

Odermatt made an uncharacteristic error mid-course that sent his skis in opposite directions, but the three-time overall champion somehow managed to get back into position to finish and remain top of the downhill and overall standings.

“I am lucky to be on my feet,” said Odermatt, who lost even more time as his near-crash caused his airbag to open.

“Fortunately, that was the first time in my life that it deployed," Odermatt said. "A false deployment and yet I believe that the airbag had to deploy at that moment. It was anything but a natural movement.

"And that’s why I’m glad it opened, even though there are certainly easier things than riding with an open airbag.”

Odermatt was full of praise for his younger teammates.

“This is really amazing," he said. “They ski so well, they deserve everything that comes to them. I’m really happy to be a part of their success a little bit, although they do it themselves.

“In our team, nobody is the boss. We are all on a similar level, we try to help each other, we try to have fun, they are all very kind, funny guys.”

The Swiss team is dominating the downhill this season. Justin Murisier won the first downhill in Beaver Creek and Odermatt triumphed in Val Gardena last weekend, where Van Allmen also finished second.

They occupy the top four positions in the downhill standings: Odermatt leads from Van Allmen, Murisier and Monney.

“It is really cool, we have a really great team spirit," Van Allmen said. "Marco is not just happy when he wins, he is also really happy when another one wins, or does a great result. It gives us motivation.”

Ryan Cochran-Siegle walked away from a huge crash on the slope set to be used for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The American skier appeared on course for at least a podium place after leading following the first three splits, until he made a miscalculation and crashed through a gate.

He was swiftly back on his feet, though, much to everyone's relief, especially after a horror crash for last year's winner Cyprien Sarrazin in training on Friday.

The French skier is recovering after an operation on Friday night to drain a bleed near the brain.

On Sunday, there is a super-G scheduled in Bormio.

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Switzerland's Alexis Monney speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen reacts after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

From left, second placed Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen and the winner Switzerland's Alexis Monney celebrate with the team after an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

From left, second placed Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, the winner Switzerland's Alexis Monney and third placed Canada's Cameron Alexander celebrate after an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney reacts after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney poses with teammate Marco Odermatt after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney reacts after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney celebrates after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)