In a downhill duel that had spectators bundled up and biting their nails, Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr unleashed a ferocious run down the Birds of Prey course to snag his 19th career World Cup victory, holding off a charging field amid swirling snow and gusty winds that turned the Colorado classic into a white-knuckle battle. The 33-year-old Schladming native clocked an impeccable 1:30.12, fending off Norway’s Fredrik Moeller by 0.56 seconds for silver and teammate Raphael Haaser by 1.03 for bronze – a one-two-three punch for the red-white-red that sent Austrian flags waving wildly under leaden skies.
Mother Nature threw everything but the kitchen sink at the field on Saturday, with intermittent snow squalls and shifting winds delaying the start and forcing officials to shorten the iconic run by 20 seconds from its full glory. “The visibility was zero at times – you couldn’t see the next gate until you were on top of it,” Kriechmayr said post-race, his breath fogging in the crisp mountain air as he hoisted the crystal trophy. “But that’s downhill: adapt or crash. I stayed smooth, trusted my line, and the skis did the rest. This one’s for the team – we’ve been building for this all season. It marked Kriechmayr’s third win on the Birds of Prey, a venue where he’s now podiumed five times, and his first downhill triumph since defending his super-G world title in Saalbach last February.
Kriechmayr’s masterclass wasn’t just timely – it was therapeutic. After a frustrating start to the 2025/26 campaign, including a DNF in the season-opening downhill at Copper Mountain and a fifth-place scrape in Sölden GS, the dual Olympic medalist (super-G silver in 2022, downhill gold in 2019 Worlds) has been grinding through tweaks to his Atomic setup and mental resets. His Beaver Creek bomb vaulted him to second in the downhill standings with 80 points, just behind surprise leader Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland (100), while boosting him to eighth overall. “Vincent’s the heart of our speed squad,” beamed Austrian head coach Tom Stiansen. “That power in the steeps? Unmatched. With Milano Cortina looming, this silences any doubters.”
Moeller, the 25-year-old from Geilo, etched his name into history with a career-best runner-up, his aggressive tuck through the Golden Eagle jumps earning roars from the Vail Valley faithful. “Pushing 140 kph in that slop – felt like skiing blindfolded,” the Norwegian grinned, crediting his wax tech for the edge that nearly toppled Kriechmayr. Haaser, 27 and fresh off a super-G podium in Copper, rounded out the podium with a gritty recovery after a mid-run bobble, his 1:31.15 sealing Austria’s dominance in a race that saw 12 of 62 starters DNF or DSQ amid the chaos.
The challengers fell just short: Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, the defending overall and downhill champ who’s already notched two wins this season (Beaver Creek DH opener and Copper super-G), faded to fourth (+1.12) after a cautious top section, while Italy’s Dominik Paris lurked in fifth (+1.28). American hopes Travis Ganong and Ryan Cochran-Siegle clocked 12th and 15th, respectively, as the U.S. squad eyes redemption in Sunday’s super-G rematch – rescheduled from its original slot due to the forecast’s fickle finger.
This Beaver Creek bash, the second men’s downhill of the season after Odermatt’s wire-to-wire romp on Thursday, underscores the tour’s brutal early grind: points are gold, and weather waits for no one. With 300 volunteers and 10,000 fans braving the flurries – cowbells clanging over the PA’s wind-whipped calls – the vibe was pure Rocky Mountain roar. Après heated up at the base village with live bands and hot toddies, but all eyes turn to tomorrow’s super-G at 11:00 a.m. MT, where Kriechmayr eyes a weekend sweep.
Tune in live on Peacock (U.S.), Eurosport (Europe), or FIS TV worldwide; replays hit NBC Sports and CBC. Tickets for Sunday? Still available at beavercrk.com – $40 GA gets you slopeside for the speed.
As Kriechmayr eyes his fourth Crystal Globe (he’s a two-time super-G king and 2021 overall titlist), Beaver Creek reminds us: in the cauldron of speed events, legends aren’t born – they’re forged in the storm. Austria’s on fire; who’s next to feel the heat?
