Odermatt soars to Val Gardena downhill win / Photo: Marco BERTORELLO - AFP
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Odermatt soars to Val Gardena downhill win
Marco Odermatt soared to victory in the World Cup downhill race at Val Gardena on Saturday, one of the few classics missing from the Swiss skier's collection.
The 27-year-old, who finished third in Friday's super-G in the Italian Dolomites, finished 0.45 seconds ahead of compatriot Franjo von Allmen who pipped American Ryan Cochran-Siegle who was just behind 0.46 off the pace.
It was a 40th World Cup victory and the third of the winter for Odermatt after his successes in the super-G at Beaver Creek, Colorado and the giant slalom at Val d'Isere, France.
Odermatt moves to the top of the overall World Cup standings with 440 points -- 50 points ahead of Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen.
He leads fellow Swiss racers Justin Murisier and Von Allmen after the second downhill race of the season.
Kristoffersen, a specialist in technical disciplines, will be competing in the giant slalom and slalom races on Sunday and Monday respectively in Alta Badia, also in Italy.
A.Baumann--HHA
