Featured Image: Vincent Kriechmayr pushing out of the downhill start gate at the Bormio World Cup. Credit: GEPA/Mario Buehner-Weinrauch

After the holiday and a short time off, the men moved to another Italian mountain to take on the Stelvio World Cup course. In Bormio, the men will race downhill and a super-G on December 28th and 29th. The exhilarating event commenced with two successful training runs. 

The men will kick out of the Praimont start gate onto the Stelvio speed track that runs almost 10,600 feet long (3,230 meters) and has an elevation change of approximately 3,235 feet (986 meters). This course has a variety of challenging aspects for the racers, such as a dramatic steep section, considerable speeds, lengthy jumps, and a critical flat section. When FIS asked different men three words to describe the Stelvio course, the majority described the course as ‘icy, dark, and bumpy.’ 

Last season, Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria reigned victorious on this challenging downhill track by -0.40 in front of Canadian James (Jack) Crawford. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde rounded out the podium in the 3rd-place position. Before Vincent Kriechmayr’s win during the 2023 season, he achieved a 2nd-place result in 2020, a 5th-place, and two top-10 finishes on this track. 

After Kriechmayr’s win last winter, he stated, “The Stelvio is one of the toughest races,” he continued, “It was a fantastic run.” 

During the first speed races this winter in Val Gardena/Gröden, Kriechmayr did not find the speed downhill to break into the top 10, finishing the weekend in 14th and 17th place. However, he unveiled that he did have speed and technical grit when he crossed the finish line with a winning run in super-G that same weekend. 

Crawford had a successful opening weekend in the Val Gardena/Gröden downhill, with two 5th-place results. Crawford has secured a place on the downhill podium three times. Notably, one of these podium finishes occurred in Bormio. As a result, he is highly motivated to demonstrate his exceptional speed on this particular slope and is determined to win. 

Kilde revealed confidence in the first weekend of racing, earning himself two 2nd-place downhill results. During the first downhill in Val Gardena/Gröden, Kilde and Marco Odermatt were caught off guard by a lights-out run from Stifel US Ski Team Member Bryce Bennett. Kilde was already celebrating and interviewing for a win when Bennett came down, wearing bib-34, and won the race by -0.03. 

Kilde stated, “That’s how ski racing is, and that’s why we love it.” 

The win from Bryce Bennett and Dominik Paris will continue to keep Kilde on his toes and searching for more speed on each course. He will attack the icy conditions in Bormio determined to step on top of the podium. 

Undoubtedly, Dominik Paris will put up a fight during this speed event, as he has already won six downhills in Bormio and knows what it takes to clinch 1st place on this track. 

After Bryce Bennett won the first downhill of this season, he continued to shine with a 3rd-place finish on the second day. These results solidified that he is coming into this winter with strength, confidence, and speed and will look to the podium again tomorrow. 

Top-ranked downhill racers after Val Gardena/Gröden

North Americans

Crawford and Bennett had a successful start to the speed season, while Cameron Alexander (CAN), Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), and Jared Goldberg (USA) demonstrated strong contingency in downhill. Cameron Alexander earned himself a 10th-place finish but did not finish the second day in Val Gardena/Gröden. Goldberg and Cochran-Siegle achieved two top-20 finishes over the weekend. The three athletes showed skills and speed that have the potential to reach them into the top 5 or even secure a podium result in Bormio.

In the past, Cochran-Siegle has had successful performances in the Bormio Downhill. He has achieved two top-10 finishes in Bormio, a 5th-place result in 2022 and 7th in 2020.

In the season-opener, six North Americans scored World Cup downhill points. Jeffrey Read (CAN) and Kyle Negomir (USA) achieved a top-30 finish on one of the days to secure points. They will both aim to move up in the downhill rankings tomorrow. 

Wiley Maple, an independent USA racer, is coming out of retirement at age 33 and will be competing in his first World Cup downhill of the season tomorrow. He competed in the training runs at Beaver Creek and had a successful first NorAm series at the Copper Mountain speed week. At the first NorAm event of the season, Wiley Maple earned himself multiple podium finishes, which elevated his confidence going into his first World Cup back on the circuit.

Stifel US Ski Team member, River Radamus, will be pushing out of his first World Cup downhill of his career. This is not an easy course for his inaugural World Cup DH, but he is up for the challenge.

North Americans competing in the Bormio downhill on December 28th

• Bib 3, Bryce Bennett, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, Fischer, Level Gloves
• Bib 5, Cameron Alexander, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Rossignol, LOOK, Level Gloves
• Bib 11, James Crawford, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, HEAD, Level Gloves
• Bib 16, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Stifel USST, Mt Mansfield Ski Academy, Cochran’s Ski Club, HEAD
• Bib 18, Jared Goldberg, Stifel USST, Snowbird Sports Educational Foundation, Rossignol, LOOK
• Bib 33, Sam Morse, Stifel USST, Carrabassett Valley Academy, Fischer, TOKO
• Bib 40, Brodie Seger, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Atomic, Level Gloves
• Bib 45, Kyle Negomir, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Atomic, Level Gloves
• Bib 47, Wiley Maple, USA Independent, Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, SYNC, Atomic, Oakley
• Bib 51, Jeffrey Read, ACA, Banff Alpine Racers, Atomic, UVEX, Level Gloves
• Bib 53, Kyle Alexander, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Rossignol, LOOK, Level Gloves
• Bib 54, Sam Dupratt, Stifel USST, Park City Ski Team, University of Utah, Atomic, Oakley
• Bib 58, River Radamus, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Rossignol, LOOK, Level Gloves

North Americans with downhill World Cup points

About Bormio, Italy

Bormio Ski Resort, situated in the Italian Alps, boasts one of the largest vertical drops in Europe. Standing at around 9,881 feet (3,012 meters), skiers can enjoy uninterrupted descents from the summit to the village below. Although the mountain may not be vast, it offers a diverse range of terrain from top to bottom. The Bormio downhill course has been a challenging fixture on the men’s World Cup circuit since 1985, earning a reputation as one of the toughest to conquer.

Further, Bormio has summer skiing on the glacier above Passo Stelvio. It is the largest summer skiing resort in the Alps. Alps. Additionally, the village holds a rich historical significance as a prominent travel and trading hub between northern and southern Europe. The center of Bormio is characterized by its distinctive monuments, ancient architecture, churches, fountains, and other elements that seamlessly blend the past with the present.

The men’s downhill will begin at 11:30 CET, 3:30 MST and 5:30 EST.

In the United States watch the live stream and replays on Ski and Snowboard Live

In Canada watch the live stream and replays on CBC Sports

Start list for the Bormio downhill on December 28th

Program for the Bormio downhill on December 28th