Aleksander Aamodt Kilde wins again at Val Gardena as Mattia Casse claims first career podium in downhill

Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde claimed a sixth win of his career at Val Gardena to extend his lead at the top of the men’s downhill standings at the Ski World Cup.

The 30-year-old, who is the reigning world champion in downhill and Super-G disciplines, already has four race wins to his name this season.

It was his third downhill win in a row and his third downhill victory at Val Gardena, claimed in style with a smooth and confident performance clocked at 2:02.35.

France’s 41-year-old Johan Clarey, the Olympic silver medallist, was second as he took his first podium of the season.

Mattia Casse of Italy took a stunning career-best bronze to earn the first podium of his career and the first men’s speed podium of the season for his country.

The 32-year-old, who has been competing in the World Cup since 2010, had previously finished no higher than fourth.

There was another surprise as Frenchman Adrien Theaux, wearing bib no.32, finished in fourth as the track got quicker and quicker as the race went on.

James Crawford of Canada rounded off the top five, while overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt of Switzerland was sixth as his wait for a first World Cup downhill victory goes on.

Austria’s Matthias Mayer, who is third overall, was 11th, 1.24 seconds off the pace.

Kilde is dominating the downhill standings, sitting top with 345 points, ahead of Odermatt in second on 260 points and Mayer in third on 184 points.

Mayer climbed above Vincent Kriechmayr, who finished 30th, to go into the top three in the overall standings on 270 points.

Kilde is second with 525 points, while Odermatt retains top spot on 640 points.

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