BORMIO, Italy — Fredrik Moeller from Norway celebrated his inaugural World Cup triumph by securing a victory in the super-G, which commenced with an unfortunate incident on Sunday as Gino Caviezel became the third athlete this weekend to require helicopter evacuation from the course that will host the 2026 Olympics.
After Alexis Monney captured his first World Cup win in the downhill on the previous day, Moeller achieved his own milestone with a distinguished run down the challenging Stelvio slope, finishing 0.20 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr.
“I feel really good,” Moeller remarked. “My performance was solid. There were a few mistakes, but they didn’t significantly affect my time. I managed to navigate the sections where I knew I could excel without making critical errors.”
Monney, who started in the 27th position, appeared poised to dethrone Moeller from the top spot after progressing from a slow start, but he ultimately finished third, just four hundredths of a second behind Kriechmayr. This outcome brought a sense of relief to Moeller.
“It’s surreal. I can’t quite process everything that has unfolded this weekend,” Monney reflected. “The Olympics are still a bit down the line, but I really enjoy this course.”
Similar to Monney, Moeller had never previously stood on a World Cup podium, with his best finish prior being fourth place.
The young skiers seem to revel in the Stelvio conditions, where the men’s Alpine events are scheduled to be held in 14 months during the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“It’s astonishing. I’m 33 years old, and these younger athletes keep raising the bar,” Kriechmayr commented. “They are consistently testing their limits. Now, it feels like you must be on point from start to finish, and if you aren’t pushing your limits, it’s tough to beat them.”
Both Moeller and Monney are just 24 years old. “It’s wild, and it’s encouraging that we can challenge the more experienced competitors and perhaps improve in the process,” said Monney with a chuckle.
Marco Odermatt, a highly regarded teammate, departed Bormio without a podium finish this weekend. Like in the downhill event, the three-time overall champion finished in fifth place, positioned between his Swiss teammates, Stefan Rogentin and Franjo von Allmen.
However, it was a dismal day for his compatriot Caviezel. The 32-year-old was the first skier out but suffered a severe crash early on. He was quickly airlifted by Swiss Air Rescue back to Switzerland, where he was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and a “complex knee injury,” according to his national ski federation.
French skier Cyprien Sarrazin and Italian Pietro Zazzi were also evacuated from the course following separate crashes during downhill training on Friday. Sarrazin required surgery to alleviate bleeding near the brain, while Zazzi underwent a leg operation.
Despite the challenges, Odermatt continues to lead in the super-G standings, although his cushion has been reduced to just five points over Moeller. He maintains a commanding lead in the overall standings by 161 points.
