American Bryce Bennett stuns favorites in World Cup downhill at Val Gardena
Bryce Bennett of the United States caused a major shock by winning the first men's World Cup downhill event of the season in Val Gardena in Italy on Thursday.
The 31-year-old from Palisades Tahoe, who started with bib number 34, crossed a shortened course first in a time of 1 minute, 23.80 seconds, three-hundredths ahead of Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, a three-time winner at the Dolemites resort. and five better than Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, the reigning world champion in the discipline.
The 6-foot-4 Californian's second victory came almost two years to the day of his first on the same course, having never finished higher than fourth in 106 World Cup starts.
Bennett used his long frame to absorb the terrain in the technical Ciaslat section that characterizes the track, crouching into an aerodynamic crease to make up time on Kilde and Odermatt in the steep final gates.
When he saw the result, Bennett stretched his arms wide in apparent disbelief and flashed a wide smile framed by his mustache.
Kilde, who started tenth, had already celebrated as if he had won after beating Odermatt, who started sixth. Kilde and Odermatt were already giving interviews when Bennett came down, prompting them to turn around and see what was happening.
Bennett rode BMX bikes as a kid, so the bumps in the Ciaslat fit his style. He has never won anywhere else.
Still, it was a sharp improvement for Bennett after his best finish last season was 10th.
It was the sixth victory for the American team in Val Gardena. Recently retired Steven Nyman won three downhills and Bode Miller won a super-G.
Bennett's ski technician is Leo Mussi, who also used to work with Nyman – and before that with four-time Val Gardena downhill winner Kristian Ghedina.
In perfect conditions, Nils Allegre was 0.13 behind fourth place with bib number 25, narrowly missing out on a first podium result of his career. Super-G world champion Jack Crawford finished fifth.
The race was moved last month from the yet-to-be-organised Zermatt-Cervinia cross-border event. Speed races in Beaver Creek, Colorado, were also canceled a few weeks ago.
A super-G on the Saslong is scheduled for Friday, followed by another descent on Saturday. Then on Sunday and Monday there are giant slalom races in nearby Alta Badia, a series of five races in five days.