The 11th race on the course, Odermatt said he was able to attack the steeper sections and carry enough speed through the flatter part.
“For me, a perfect race,” Odermatt said.
These days, when isn't it a perfect race for him?
Odermatt has won the last two overall World Cup downhill titles. He's been consistent in the event and hasn't finished outside of the top seven in a World Cup downhill race since 2023. This was his fifth World Cup downhill win.
Odermatt also started the World Cup super-G season with a Thanksgiving win at nearby Copper Mountain.
“How do you catch him? I don’t know," Cochran-Siegle said of Odermatt, who's won the last four overall World Cup crowns. “I think the rest of the world’s still trying to figure that out.”
Cochran-Siegle spent some time in the leader's box after a smooth run. He's the first American to be on a World Cup downhill podium in Beaver Creek since Steven Nyman finished third in 2014. The last American racer to win a World Cup downhill at Beaver Creek was Bode Miller in 2011.
“It’s cool to stand among those legends,” said Cochran-Siegle, a silver medalist in the super-G at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Sejersted notched his first World Cup podium in the downhill. He has two other podium finishes in super-G.
His Norwegian teammate, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, finished in 11th place as he took another big step in his return from a serious crash.
This was Kilde's first downhill race since his crash in January 2024. Kilde underwent surgery for a severe cut and nerve damage in his right calf and two torn ligaments in his shoulder.
“I'm super happy with how I could control things today,” said Kilde, who also competed in the super-G on Thanksgiving. “I can’t be more satisfied with the feeling that I had in the finish."
Rok Aznoh of Slovenia had a scary crash near the end of the race. He was taken to the hospital to evaluate head and knee injuries.
Earlier in the day, organizers announced the super-G race would be moved to Friday with the weather forecast not looking favorable for Saturday. There's a giant slalom event scheduled for Sunday.
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AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics