Bad Luck Haunts Cochran-Siegle at Bormio

If it wasn’t for bad luck this weekend in Bormio, Italy, Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.) would have any luck at all.

In Friday’s FIS Ski World Cup downhill, Cochran-Siegle walked out of his ski just three gates into his run. In Saturday’s super-G he was iced at the start for more than 30 minutes as the racer in front of him, Norway’s Stian Saugestad, took a nasty fall into the nets and was eventually extracted from the course by helicopter.

“It’s was tough with the course hold, I think that whatever happens, especially with the helicopter, you really don’t know what is going on, so it’s kind of tough to adjust to and figure out when to get ready to go,” said Cochran-Siegle, who despite the lengthy course hold was the top American finisher in 22nd. “I was just trying to focus on what I wanted to do. I skied well all the way, except for the last split I just got a little behind it. But I think not trying to let (the course hold) affect my mindset, it’s tough, but you have to overcome it.”

Italy’s Dominik Paris won for the second-straight day after taking Friday’s downhill. Austria’s Matthias Meyer was second, as Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was third. Steven Nyman (Park City, Utah) took another huge step toward top form, coming out of the 60th start position to finish right behind Cochran-Siegle in 23rd place.

Cochran-Siegle, who has scored points in all four World Cup super-G’s this season, now heads home to Vermont for a short New Year’s break. “I’m going to go back home, I get a few days off, then come back over here for Adelboden (Switzerland, Jan. 12-13),” he said. “I think I’m probably going to skip Kitzbuehel this year, just to get another break before the long haul.”

Up next, the tech skiers move on the Oslo, Norway for a New Year’s Day city event, then off to a night slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, on Jan. 6.

RESULTS
Men’s super-G

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast

Saturday, Dec. 29
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

Tuesday, Jan. 1
10:30 a.m. - Men and women’s city event - Oslo, NOR - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold