Generational talent Odermatt bids to cement legacy with downhill gold

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FILE PHOTO: Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Mens Giant Slalom - Alta Badia, Italy - December 21, 2025 Switzerlands Marco Odermatt in action during the first run. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Jan 7 - In a sport where races are decided by the tiniest of margins and injury is never more than a heartbeat away, domination is unusual -- which makes Swiss racer Marco Odermatts reign as the king of mens Alpine skiing all the more remarkable.

The 28-year-old will arrive at the Milano Cortina Olympics as the most complete ski racer of his generation and red-hot favourite to embellish a career laden with trophies and records.

Odermatt has been the overall World Cup champion for the past four seasons, during which time he has also topped the giant slalom standings four times, the super-G three times and has twice won the downhill globes.

By his standards he ended 2025 in slightly disappointing fashion, missing the podium in World Cup races in Alta Badia and Livigno, but he remains streets ahead of the field.

Odermatt chalked up his 50th career World Cup win in the downhill at Val Gardena in December and reached the turn of the year with a huge lead in the overall World Cup standings after five victories -- two in downhill, two in giant slalom and one in super-G.

That downhill victory in a fog-affected race in Val Gardena was only his sixth in downhill, whereas