Moeller earns first World Cup win as another injured skier is airlifted off 2026 Olympics slope

BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Fredrik Moeller of Norway claimed his first World Cup victory by winning a super-G that got off to an inauspicious start on Sunday as Gino Caviezel became the third skier this weekend to be airlifted off the slope set to be used for the 2026 Olympics.

After Alexis Monney’s debut World Cup win in the downhill the previous day, Moeller also recorded his first victory on the circuit with an early benchmark run down the fearsome Stelvio slope to finish 0.20 seconds ahead of Austrian skier Vincent Kriechmayr.

“It feels really good,” Moeller said. “My skiing was obviously good. It felt like I had some mistakes, which I did, but they weren’t that costly. I managed to ski well where I know I can, and not do anything stupid."

Monney, who was 27th out of the gate, threatened to knock Moeller out of the leader’s chair after the Swiss skier recovered from a poor start but finished third, just four hundredths of a second behind Kriechmayr — to Moeller’s obvious relief.

“It’s crazy. I don’t know really what to say and I don’t realize what happened this weekend,” Monney told The Associated Press. “The Olympics is still far away, but for sure the slope I like it a lot.”

Like Monney, Moeller had never even been on the podium prior to this weekend. His previous best finish was fourth.

But the young guns clearly enjoyed the Stelvio, where the men’s Alpine skiing events are set to take place in 14 months at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

“Incredible. I’m 33 years old, and they keep pushing all the time,” Kriechmayr said. “They are always on the limit. Now I think you have to be 100% from top to bottom, and if you’re not searching for the limit you’re not able to beat them.

“It’s good to know what I have to do, but it’s incredible what they are doing now.”

Both Monney and Moeller are 24.

“Yeah it’s crazy, it’s really nice that we can push a bit the older ones, get better maybe,” Monney added with a laugh.

Monney's more lauded teammate Marco Odermatt leaves Bormio without a podium finish this weekend. As in the downhill, the three-time overall champion was fifth, sandwiched between two other Swiss teammates — Stefan Rogentin and Franjo von Allmen.

It was a miserable day for compatriot Caviezel, however.

The 32-year-old was first out of the gates but crashed heavily early on and was flown by Swiss Air Rescue straight back to Switzerland where he was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder as well as “a complex knee injury,” according to his ski federation.

French standout Cyprien Sarrazin and Italian Pietro Zazzi were also taken off the slope by helicopter after crashing in separate incidents in downhill training on Friday.

Sarrazin underwent surgery to drain a bleed near the brain while Zazzi had an operation on his leg.

Odermatt still leads the super-G standings but has seen his advantage cut to just five points by Moeller. He leads the overall standings by 161 points.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Emergencies helicopter takes Switzerland's Gino Caviezel to the hospital after his fall during an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney reacts after completing an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Norway's Fredrik Moeller speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

From left, second placed Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr, the winner Norway's Fredrik Moeller, and third placed Switzerland's Alexis Monney celebrate after an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

The winner Norway's Fredrik Moeller celebrates after an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super G race, in Bormio, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)