Alpine ski World Cup 23/24: Marco Odermatt wins Wengen classic downhill as Kilde crashes out - Results
The Olympic giant slalom champion secured back-to-back downhill wins on the Lauberhorn to further extend his overall World Cup lead.
Alpine Skiing
Two days after claiming his first Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill win, Marco Odermatt won again at Wengen on Saturday (13 January) to delight a feverish home crowd.
Unlike Thursday's shortened course, this was the classic Lauberhorn downhill - the longest race on the World Cup circuit – with the Swiss sensation expertly navigating his way down one of ski racing's stiffest tests.
Odermatt - wearing start bib number eight - was the epitome of poise, stopping the clock in 2:25.64 to go into the lead by more than two seconds.
Next up was Cyprien Sarrazin who won Friday's Super G after his Thursday downhill second behind Odermatt.
The Frenchman gave it a good go but was 0.59 off the pace and had to settle for second again.
Last year's winner and reigning World Cup downhill champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde crashed in sight of the finish line after getting out of shape on the fast turns in the bottom section.
The Norwegian just about managed to sit up shortly after the fall. He had his right knee strapped before being airlifted to hospital.
After a delay of around 20 minutes, Dominik Paris of Italy moved into third place to take the final spot on the podium but was well over a second behind the front two.
Odermatt, 26, has confirmed his status as the world's best male alpine skier with his first two World Cup downhill triumphs coming after he won the World Championship downhill in Courchevel last year.
"From my side, it was the perfect performance and a dream come true winning the 'real' Lauberhorn downhill. It was my biggest goal of the season," Odermatt told the FIS afterwards.
"But to see Aleks (Kilde) like this makes me sad and not enjoy the victory that much. So it is a bittersweet day."
He now tops the World Cup standings in downhill, giant slalom and Super G. His overall World Cup lead is now a massive 552 points with nearest rival Marco Schwarz ruled out for the season after injuring his knee in last month's Bormio downhill. Sarrazin is now just four points behind the Austrian in third place.
The extended four-race weekend at Wengen – after two downhill races and a Super G – will come to an end on Sunday with the men’s slalom.
Wengen, FIS World Cup: Results from men's downhill, 13 January 2024 (top 10):
1. Marco Odermatt (SUI) 2:25.64
2. Cyprien Sarrazin (FRA) +0.59
3. Dominik Paris (ITA) +1.92
4. Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (NOR) +2.20
5. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) +2.49
6. Adrien Theaux (FRA) +2.55
7. Nils Allegre (FRA) +2.72
8. Niels Hintermann (SUI) +2.74
9. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) +2.77
10=Bryce Bennett (USA), Mattia Casse (ITA) +2.99