3 Americans in top 5 at Kitzbuehel training

It was a strong debut for the Americans during the first training run down the legendary Streif on Wednesday. Ryan Cochran-Siegle captured the fastest run of the day, with teammates Travis Ganong 0.35 behind in second, and Jared Goldberg 0.57 behind in fifth.

Cochran-Siegle seems to have found his way in speed this year. After posting two days of the fastest time in Bormio training, Cochran-Siegle grabbed his first World Cup victory in super G. In downhill the following day, he slipped off the top pace into seventh, just 0.30 behind.

The 28-year-old first set eyes on the Streif in 2014 and didn’t return to the course until 2020. Now back for a third time, Cochran-Siegle brings experience and momentum leading up to posting the fastest run in the first training. 

Teammates Ganong and Goldberg have shown consistent skiing throughout the year. Ganong has been creeping closer to the podium after his fourth place finish in the season-opening super G at Val d’Isere.

Goldberg has been skiing consistently in the top 10 during downhill training runs, with his best downhill finish of the season at Val Gardena in sixth. He has a particular love for raw downhill courses, such as the Streif, with the history of downhill skiing woven into the terrain, bumps, and jumps that come with reaching top speeds at historic venues. This will be Goldberg’s eighth season racing the Hahnenkamm. 

U.S. Ski Team athletes Bryce Bennett and Sam Morse rounded out the American field, finishing the training in 43rd and 52nd.

There will be two installments of downhill racing on the Streif this year with a replacement race from Wengen set for Friday and the legendary Hahnenkamm race, which will be held for the 81st time, on Saturday.