Swiss skier Marco Odermatt secured his 50th World Cup victory on Thursday in Val Gardena, Italy, a milestone that ties him with legendary Italian slalom champion Alberto Tomba on the all-time men’s list.
The race, held on a shortened version of the Saslong course, was delayed by 75 minutes due to dense fog covering the upper reaches of the track. Despite the weather-related setback, Odermatt’s run was swift and clean, earning him a 0.15-second margin over reigning world champion Franjo von Allmen. The victory comes 50 days before the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, where Odermatt is a prime contender for gold.
When asked about reaching the 50-win mark, Odermatt described the achievement as “It’s a crazy number,” adding that his season had already begun with a fifth victory. “I had an incredible season start with a fifth victory already. But I’m not a guy who looks too far ahead,” he said, underscoring his focus on each race rather than long-term projections.
The Saslong course, normally 3,000 meters long, was shortened for the event, but the weather still played a decisive role. The race began 75 minutes after the scheduled start because fog had wrapped the upper sections of the track. After the sixth starter, world champion Franjo von Allmen, set the fastest time and touched 129 kph (80 mph), officials issued a short delay to allow visibility to improve. The fog persisted, prompting a longer stoppage once the top-ranked racers completed their runs.
Odermatt’s descent was both smooth and decisive. He finished 0.15 seconds ahead of von Allmen, the reigning world champion, and he credited his teammate’s performance as a benchmark. “I saw his time was ‘tough to beat. I started a little bit faster and those hundredths were exactly the difference,”” Odermatt said, noting that the marginal gains in the final seconds were the key to his victory.
Italian veteran Dominik Paris finished third, trailing Odermatt by 0.19 seconds. Paris’ run was solid, but the Swiss’ slight edge in the final moments proved decisive. The podium finish added another win for Switzerland, reinforcing the nation’s dominance in the speed events.
The race was interrupted twice after the fog had cleared. First, No. 45 starter Fredrik Moeller crashed hard on his back while setting a time that matched Odermatt’s, forcing him to be airlifted from the course. Minutes later, No. 47 starter Nils Alphand threatened a shock by leading halfway through the run; he finished fifth, just 0.27 seconds behind the winner.
With this win, Odermatt extended his lead in the overall World Cup standings, bringing him closer to his fifth consecutive title. He also added to the Swiss sweep of the speed events, having won the season-opening downhill at Beaver Creek, Colorado, two weeks earlier. The 1–2 finish for Switzerland is a common outcome in World Cup downhills, a pattern that has repeated from last season when Odermatt and Von Allmen finished first and second respectively at Val Gardena.
At 28, Odermatt reached the 50-win milestone, tying Alberto Tomba for fourth place on the men’s all-time World Cup win list. The record is held by Swedish legend Ingmar Stenmark, who has 86 victories, while the women’s record was recently extended to 105 wins by Mikaela Shiffrin after her slalom victory in Courchevel, France.
Val Gardena’s World Cup program for the weekend includes a super-G on Friday followed by the classic Saslong downhill on Saturday, covering the full distance of the course. The Thursday downhill replaced a race that had been canceled earlier in the month due to weather at Beaver Creek, underscoring the unpredictable nature of alpine skiing conditions.
As the 2026 Winter Olympics approach, Odermatt’s performance in Val Gardena signals his readiness to compete at the highest level. The Swiss’ continued dominance in speed events, combined with his record-tying win, positions him as a strong contender for Olympic gold, while the race’s dramatic weather twists serve as a reminder of the challenges that alpine athletes face every season.
Key Takeaways
- Marco Odermatt’s 50th World Cup win ties him with Alberto Tomba for fourth on the men’s all-time list.
- The race, delayed 75 minutes by fog, ended in a Swiss 1–2 finish, underscoring Switzerland’ speed-event dominance.
- Weather incidents included Fredrik Moeller’s crash and Nils Alphand’s halfway lead, highlighting the season’s unpredictable conditions.
