Von Allmen edges Odermatt in latest World Cup downhill duel for Swiss stars

VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — Franjo Von Allmen edged his friend Marco Odermatt for a World Cup downhill victory Saturday in the latest 1-2 finish between the Swiss rivals, whose duels shape as the peak of men’s skiing in the Milan Cortina Olympics season.

Von Allmen finished 0.30 seconds ahead of Odermatt as both stars were aggressive and daring on the bumpy and tiring Saslong course.

It was the sixth time they combined to finish 1-2 in the 10 World Cup downhills since the Val Gardena race one year ago, including Thursday when Odermatt won a shortened race.

“It’s really cool that I can share the podium again with Marco. Sometimes me, sometimes him" that wins, Von Allmen said.

No other racer came close to them Saturday when Odermatt had the fastest speed close to 127 kph (79 mph). Only third-place Florian Schieder of Italy was also within a second of Von Allmen, 0.98 back on the 3.45-kilometer (2.14-mile) course.

The 24-year-old Von Allmen has three career wins in World Cup downhills, and Odermatt was runner-up each time.

“It was fair that he can win today and I’m also happy with second place,” said Odermatt, who also was second Friday in a super-G.

Each also won a gold medal in downhill at the two-yearly world championships held since the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and their rivalry could be a main event on Feb. 7 at the next Winter Games.

Men’s Alpine skiing at the Olympics is raced at Bormio where another Swiss racer, Alexis Monney, won the World Cup downhill last December with Von Allmen second.

Monney and Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States crashed out Saturday on the rolling bumps and jumps, while James Crawford had a spectacular save landing a jump.

Von Allmen and Odermatt both were on the limit at times on a third straight race day, that saw former World Cup overall champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde skip the start. Kilde is returning after almost two years out recovering from a scary crash at Wengen in January 2024.

Odermatt extended his big lead in the season-long overall World Cup standings chasing a fifth straight title, and Von Allmen closed the gap in the downhill points race.

There was no repeat of the stunning result Friday in super-G on a hill where more sunshine on the course after 12:30 p.m. gives late starters a fighting chance.

Super-G winner Jan Zabystran — the first Czech man to win a race in 60 seasons of World Cup racing, denying Odermatt victory — had the No. 36 bib Saturday and was almost three seconds back.

Still, unheralded Swiss racer Alessio Miggiano took fifth place with the No. 43 bib, just 0.06 off the podium.

While Von Allmen has no race Sunday, Odermatt goes to nearby Alta Badia for one of the classic men's giant slaloms. He leads the World Cup standings after winning two of four giant slaloms so far.

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

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, right, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Italy's Giovanni Franzoni speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Italy's Florian Schieder celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

VAL D'ISERE, France (AP) — Lindsey Vonn has come so far one year into her remarkable comeback for the Milan Cortina Olympics that third place in a World Cup downhill Saturday left her with regrets.

Entering the Olympic season at age 41, with a right knee strengthened by titanium implants, Vonn's first four results in an intense nine-day spell now read: win, runner-up, fourth and third.

A mistake on the bottom half of the course Saturday cost Vonn a half-second, she suggested, in a downhill where she finished 0.35 behind Cornelia Huetter's winning time on an overcast day.

"If you would have asked me last year, you know, if I would be happy with a podium, I would say abso-(expletive)-lutely,” Vonn said.

Recall there were no podium finishes in the first 12 World Cup races of her comeback that began exactly one year ago, nor at two world championships races in February.

Still, Vonn's goals have been raised since March by a season-ending second place in a World Cup super-G at Sun Valley, and her even stronger start to this season.

"I know that I’m fast. There’s a lot to be happy about,” said the United States star, who extended her lead in the season-long downhill standings after three of the scheduled nine races.

However, she acknowledged after Saturday’s run: "I was mad at myself for making a mistake. There’s a mistake here, a mistake there and that’s why I’m not winning.”

“With the light I didn’t quite see the terrain and lost my balance, and it cost me probably half a second or more," said Vonn, who threw her arms out wide and looked anguished on seeing she was behind early leader Kira Weidle-Winkelmann’s time. “But when you’re going fast anything can happen.”

Racing immediately after Vonn, Huetter was consistently a little faster after the first time split and touched 126 kph (78 mph). She finished 0.26 seconds ahead of Weidle-Winkelmann and 0.35 clear of Vonn.

Vonn later congratulated Huetter with smiles and a hug when the 33-year-old Austrian was in the course-side leader’s box.

“I’m super proud," said Huetter, recalling a poor training run Friday when "I was so bad, I was so slow. I don’t know why. Maybe I need some pressure inside of me.”

A big threat to Huetter on an overcast day with tricky visibility on the 2.8-kilometer (1¾-mile) O.K. course was 2018 Olympic champion Sofia Goggia.

Goggia, wearing the No. 14 start bib, was fastest through halfway then had to stand almost straight up to correct her balance coming out of a turn. She was pushed wide into rougher snow to make the next gate.

Goggia finished in eighth place, 0.62 behind Huetter and shook her head in the finish area.

Huetter now has five downhill wins in her 10 career World Cup victories and won the season-long title in 2024. She should be a medal contender in the Olympic downhill scheduled Feb. 8 at storied Cortina d’Ampezzo.

She placed fourth in downhill at each of the two world championships held since the 2022 Beijing Olympics where she placed seventh.

Vonn’s comeback last year after nearly six seasons of retirement was to target the Milan Cortina Winter Games that will be her fifth Olympics. She took gold in 2010 at Vancouver and bronze behind Goggia at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea.

Her first Olympics was on home snow at Salt Lake City in 2002, held almost two years before one of her main current rivals, Emma Aicher of Germany, was even born.

“The reference point is: ‘Were you born before my first Olympics?’” Vonn said Saturday with a laugh. "And if the answer is ‘No!’ then I know I’m way older than you. It’s funny.”

Val d’Isere stages a super-G on Sunday, one week after Vonn was fourth in the discipline at St. Moritz won by 24-year-old Alice Robinson of New Zealand.

After that, a break over the holidays for the speed race specialists whose next World Cup start will then be Jan. 10 at Altenmarkt in Austria.

“I’m also looking forward to recharging,” Vonn said. "I have 49 more days until the Olympics start and I know I will be ready for that.”

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

Austria's Cornelia Huetter, left, winner of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Germany's Kira Weidle Winkelmann, left, and third-placed United States' Lindsey Vonn, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Italy's Sofia Goggia reacts at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

United States' Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Cornelia Huetter speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Cornelia Huetter celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

United States' Lindsey Vonn checks her time at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill, in Val D'Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)