Swiss skiers Franjo von Allmen and Tanguy Nef capture gold as team combined makes Olympic debut

BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Franjo von Allmen is a patient ski racer. He's not a patient spectator.

That's what the Swiss standout learned about himself Monday in picking up his second Olympic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.

In fourth place after his downhill run, von Allmen anxiously watched teammate Tanguy Nef from the bottom of the hill make up the deficit in the slalom to take the team combined title as the event made its Olympic debut.

Just like that, the team labeled Swiss-2 just became No. 1.

“Calm? What is that?” cracked von Allmen, who won the Olympic downhill over the weekend. "No, my knees were sweating. I was nervous, like I was never (nervous) in this season before. But Tanguy absolutely nailed it. ... Left me speechless.”

Nef proved immune to pressure even if he'd never finished in the top-three of a World Cup race. He found speed on a rutted slalom course to help his team finish in a combined time of 2 minutes, 44.04 seconds. The Swiss-1 team of Marco Odermatt and Loic Meillard tied for silver with the Austrian-1 team of Vincent Kriechmayr and Manuel Feller. Both teams finished 0.99 seconds behind.

The team combined event involves one racer competing in a downhill run and another in a slalom, with their two times added up to determine the final results.

“Our plan was to give everything and give our best,” Nef explained. “We both signed up for that. So, no pressure from him. I was focused on my skiing."

No bronze medal was awarded as a result of two teams finishing in a tie for silver. It made for a lopsided photo opportunity, with all six basically standing on one side of the podium.

New partner, same results for von Allmen. He won gold at world championships last February by uniting with Meillard. This time, based on rankings, he had Nef, who turned in a sensational run on a warm day along the Stelvio course. Nef had to make up a 0.42-second deficit on a course that was growing bumpier and bumpier. He did and von Allmen met him in the finish area to celebrate.

“Today, definitely, he did most of the work,” von Allmen said. "Just amazing, just crazy.”

It was a measure of atonement for Odermatt, who wound up a disappointing fourth in the downhill on Saturday.

“First, we were a little bit nervous it might be another fourth place,” said Odermatt, an Olympic gold medalist in the giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Games. "In the end, Loic made an amazing second run and secured us the medal. ... We already have our souvenir from the Olympics. We both have some more chances (events) to do and that helps us in the upcoming races.”

Kriechmayr, 34, and Feller, 33, were seventh after the downhill, but Feller brought them back to silver.

“After my downhill, I never expected a medal,” Kriechmayr said. “Manuel’s run was pretty fast. He skied pretty good. (We were) lucky as well with the guys ahead struggling.”

Giovanni Franzoni, the silver medalist in the downhill, had Italy-1 in first place after the opening run. Alex Vinatzer, the last racer on the course, struggled to settle into a rhythm and they fell to sixth.

“It's not as much how I'm feeling for me. I'm really sorry for Giovanni,” Vinatzer said. “Because he deserved a medal very much with his downhill run. It was great. Regarding me, I tried to keep it simple, tried to keep it cool. The pressure got the best of me.”

The Swiss swept gold, silver and bronze in the men's team combined at the world championships last February.

In the women's event slated for Tuesday, Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson will pair up. They combined to win the event at worlds. Johnson is the reigning Olympic downhill champion after winning Sunday.

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

From right, gold medalists Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, and teammate Tanguy Nef, joint-silver medalists Austria's Manuel Feller and teammate Vincent Kriechmayr, and Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, and teammate Loic Meillard, listen to the Swiss national anthem at the finish area of an alpine ski men's team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Switzerland's Tanguy Nef speeds down the course of an alpine ski men's slalom portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Gold medalists Switzerland's Nef Tanguy, right, and teammate Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, second from right, stand with joint-silver medalists Switzerland's Loic Meillard, third from right, and Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, Austria's Manuel Feller, second from left, and Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr, at the finish area of an alpine ski men's slalom portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, right, bows to his teammate Switzerland's Nef Tanguy at the finish area of an alpine ski men's slalom portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, right, goes to hug his teammate Switzerland's Nef Tanguy at the finish area of an alpine ski men's slalom portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Switzerland's Alexis Monney celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski men's downhill portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski men's downhill portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Italy's Giovanni Franzoni speeds down the course of an alpine ski men's downhill portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Italy's Giovanni Franzoni celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski men's downhill portion of a team combined race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number of forces pulled out of Europe.

The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump's initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America's commitment to Europe's security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO's eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer rotating into Poland from Germany. The dispatch to Germany of U.S. personnel trained to fire long-range missiles was also halted.

But in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he would now send "an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom Trump endorsed in elections last year.

“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters Friday at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Ministers from the Netherlands and Norway were sanguine about Trump’s latest move, as was Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who said allies knew the U.S. troop “posture was being reconsidered, and now there is no change of posture. For now.”

U.S. defense officials also expressed confusion. “We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

But Rubio said Washington’s allies understand that changes in the U.S. troop presence in Europe will come as the Trump administration reevaluates its force needs. “I think there’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there has historically been for a variety of reasons,” he said.

The latest surprise came despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments, including one from NATO’s top military officer, U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, on Wednesday.

Trump's initial announcement that he would withdraw troops came as he fumed over remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in that war.

Trump told reporters that the U.S. would be cutting even more than 5,000 and also announced new tariffs on European cars. Germany is the continent’s biggest auto producer.

Rubio insisted that Trump’s decision “is not a punitive thing. It’s just something that’s ongoing.”

About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment on the continent unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.

The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.

But Trump's latest post suggests that troop numbers in Europe would not change. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed the decision to send more forces to his country, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the move. On Thursday, before Trump took to Truth Social again, Rutte had underlined that it was important for Europe to take care of its own security. “We have a process in place. This is normal business,” he told reporters.

At NATO headquarters in Brussels, meanwhile, U.S. officials briefed the allies on the Pentagon's aims for its commitments to the NATO Force Model, which involves contingency planning for Europe’s defense in the event of serious security concerns. It was widely expected that a further reduction of U.S. forces would be coming.

Asked whether any cuts were announced, Rutte said: “I’m afraid it’s much more complicated than that.” He said the procedure “is highly classified” and declined to give details.

Rubio played down concerns about a shift in U.S. force levels in Europe, saying: "Every country has to constantly reevaluate what their needs are, what their commitments are around the world, and how to properly structure that.”

Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with journalists during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, front left, speak with each other during a group photo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte look at each other as they deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže speaks at the doorstep of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at Sea U in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with his wife Jeanette at Malmo Airport, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Malmo-Sturup, Sweden, ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, second from left, shakes hands with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, as he is greeted by King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergard, right, before a dinner at Sofiero Castle in Helsingborg, Sweden, Thursday May 21 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)