Monney, 24, did not tremble against the Stelvio, one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit, criticized again this year after the violent fall of Frenchman Cyprien Sarrazin on Friday during training.
While the largely icy surface and the lack of homogeneity of the Stelvio disconcerted veterans like the Italian Dominik Paris, seven-time winner in Bormio and only 31st, Monney enjoyed himself on the three kilometers of a track which will host the men’s alpine skiing events of the 2026 Olympics.
He was 24/100 ahead of another young Swiss, Franjo Von Allmen (23), to reach a World Cup podium for the first time in his career in his 36th participation. Third place went to Canadian Cameron Alexander, relegated to 72/100th.
“It’s difficult to find the words, I’m just happy, it’s one of the most beautiful memories of my career,” analyzed the 2020 junior world champion in downhill. “I had a plan for this race, I stuck to it, we had prepared this race well on video,” underlined Monney, whose best result on the world circuit until then was an 8th place in Kitzbühel ( Austria) in February 2024.
“Having Marco (Odermatt) on your team is great, it pushes you to be better,” he added to explain the Swiss domination in downhill in winter.
Cheerful in the top 10
The Swiss skiers are without rivals this season in the premier discipline, since they have won the three downhills contested so far, achieving a double each time, and monopolize the first four places in the Downhill World Cup.
The boss of the Swiss team and the world circuit Marco Odermatt, winner of the Val Gardena downhill, had to settle for 5th place (at 80/100th).
But the three-time winner of the world No.1 globe was hampered by the triggering of his airbag, the protective device of his suit which opened when he went sideways halfway through the race. “I’m not really disappointed, I’m mostly relieved, because I gave myself a big scare. I am happy to have reached the finish and to have scored big points overall,” insisted “Odi”.
Odermatt, who last week became the most successful Swiss in World Cup history with 41 successes, has in fact consolidated his first place in the general ranking with 585 points. Before the super-G on Sunday, still in Bormio, which he won in 2022 and 2023, he is 116 points ahead of the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, who does not participate in the speed events.
The French team, still in shock from the fall of Cyprien Sarrazin, whose operation to drain his intracranial hematoma “went well”, announced the French Ski Federation, and in the grip of food poisoning, is still represented in the top 10: Nils Allègre ranked 10th, 1 sec 26/100th behind Monney.
Race rankings:
1. Alexis Monney (SUI) 1:53.43 2. Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) + 0.24 3. Cameron Alexander (CAN) + 0.72 4. Mattia Casse (ITA) + 0.79 5. Marco Odermatt (SUI) + 0.80 6. Justin Mulberry tree (SUI) + 0.81 7. Miha Hrobat (SLO) + 0.87 8. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) + 1.12 9. Marco Kohler (SUI) + 1.17 10. Nils Allègre (FRA) + 1.26 … 14. Nils Alphand (FRA) + 1.76 21. Matthieu Bailet (FRA) + 2.18 28. Blaise Giezendanner (FRA) + 2.78 42. Maxence Muzaton (FRA) + 3.64
