Marco Odermatt (SUI) remained untouchable, unassailable and unbeatable at Birds of Prey, winning the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup’s inaugural downhill event of the season with a time of 1:29.84.

Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA), the only American to earn a medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, demonstrated why he’s still one of the top speed racers in the world, claiming second (+0.30) for his fourth career Cup podium and first on U.S. snow.

Coming in third with an impressive performance was Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (NOR) (+0.69), who finished 22nd at Beaver Creek last year.

Birds of Prey has long been a special place for Cochran-Siegle. It was the site of his second World Cup start as a 19-year-old and the first race in which he picked up Cup points. Nearly a decade and a half later, he earned his first top-three finish in Beaver Creek, and it came in a discipline to which he’s dedicating a lot of focus in training. The Vermont native is hungry for downhill success.

“I've only won the super-G so winning a World Cup downhill is a big goal of mine,” the 33-year-old told NBC Sports prior to the start of the season. “And then winning Olympic downhill gold is another. I recognize that I'm by no means a favorite, but I know that I'm capable of it. I think that's what's really important, believing in myself and having that confidence.”

Until Cochran-Siegle on Thursday, no American had secured a podium at Beaver Creek since 2021 when Travis Ganong took third in the super-G. 

His masterful performance at Birds of Prey was a nice bounce back from the stumble he took late in his Copper Mountain run last week, which likely kept him out of the top-three.

Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) soars to a second place finish in the Birds of Prey downhill at Beaver Creek.

Marc Desrosiers-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Marco Odermatt appeared unbothered by a DNF in his previous race, swooping in to snatch RCS’ early lead to win his third race of the season and second in seven days. It pushed his overall Cup point total to 300, a commanding 144 points ahead of the second place Marco Schwarz (AUT).

“I analyzed the two training runs well,” he said afterwards. “I had a good plan and line in my mind, and in the end, I had a very good setup. I could play where I needed to, but also had good feedback when it was needed.”

The victory marks Odermatt’s fifth career downhill triumph and 48th Cup win overall. If he sweeps the rest of his Birds of Prey events (he’s set for the super-G and giant slalom), the Swissblade will earn his landmark 50th victory, putting him in rarified air with Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) and Lindsey Vonn (USA) as the only other active skiers to have reached that figure.

For third place finisher Adrian Smiseth Sejersted, it was his third career podium and first since 2020. Coincidentally, that same Bormio podium he shared with Ryan Cochran-Siegle.

Last season’s breakout star Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) trailed closely behind Sejersted, finishing fourth. Aleksander Aamodt-Kilde (NOR), who continues to work his way back to form after an almost two-year absence, narrowly missed the top-ten. He placed 11th.

Bryce Bennett (USA), who came in sixth at Beaver Creek last season, grabbed 28th, collecting his first points of the 2025-26 campaign.

The five other Americans that raced struggled, landing outside of the top-45 (in a field of 64).

A scary moment hung a dark cloud over the bluebird day when the 58th skier, Rok Aznoh (SLO), violently crashed between Sectors 2 and 3 of his run. He slammed into the net, bounced off and lay face down on the snow, while his helmet tumbled down the mountain. He appeared to be unconscious.  

Beaver Creek enforced a course hold so medical professionals could attend to Aznoh before ultimately taking him down in a sled. There’s no word yet on the severity of his injuries. Updates to follow.

The Alpine action continues at Birds of Prey Friday with the super-G race. Many of Thursday’s competitors, including Odermatt, RCS and Kilde are set to ski again.

*Delayed Broadcast*