After three consecutive days of impressive performances, Kyle Negomir is solidifying his status as a strong contender for the U.S. Olympic ski team. Leading Team USA at the Val Gardena speed triple header, the 27-year-old skier finished 16th in the downhill race on December 20, 2025, in Italy. This result, following two top-20 finishes earlier in the weekend, underscores Negomir’s commitment to elevating his racing skills ahead of the upcoming Milano Cortina Olympics.
Negomir, a former member of the Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, expressed optimism about his Olympic aspirations. “I mean I think it helps,” he said regarding his chances of making the 2026 U.S. team. Despite feeling the pressure, he remains motivated. “I still feel pretty sick to my stomach before every event with that added level of pressure,” he noted. “But also that added level of motivation to really push and take those risks.”
Impressive Performance in Val Gardena
Throughout the Val Gardena event, Negomir demonstrated his competitive edge. He achieved a career-best 11th-place finish on a shortened downhill course during the first day of the speed weekend. In the super-G event, which is typically his strongest, he again led the American contingent. On Saturday, he showcased his skills on the full-length Saslong course, recording the fourth-fastest fifth sector and finishing with a time of 2 minutes, 0.52 seconds, just shy of the podium.
Reflecting on his progress, Negomir stated, “I’ve had a couple long seasons of being quite slow in downhill, so I think this weekend was just overall really validating that I do belong with these guys.” His consistent performances illustrate his readiness to compete at the highest levels.
The podium for Saturday’s downhill event featured Swiss skiers Marco Odermatt and Franjo von Allmen. On this occasion, von Allmen took first place with a time of 1:58.67, a result he described as unexpected. “It’s really cool to share the podium with Marco, and to change sometimes — sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s him,” von Allmen stated after claiming his fourth career World Cup victory.
Odermatt, who finished second, acknowledged the competitive spirit between the two. “We push each other,” he said, noting that the pursuit of perfection motivates athletes in the sport. Florian Schieder from Italy secured third place.
American Competitors and Olympic Prospects
In addition to Negomir’s performance, Team USA saw contributions from Sam Morse and Bryce Bennett, who finished 24th and 26th, respectively. Morse commented on his run, describing it as “scrappy.” He has been experimenting with his gear, adjusting his setup to improve performance after feeling overly gripped in the previous day’s super-G. “This year’s course really rewarded those that go fall line with it,” he added.
Jared Goldberg, Erik Arvidsson, and Maple Wiley rounded out the American finishers, while Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle did not finish the race.
Looking ahead, the men’s World Cup continues with a giant slalom and slalom scheduled for December 21-22, followed by a super-G in Livigno on December 30. Morse expressed excitement for the upcoming event: “Livigno’s a totally new track. No one’s going to have an advantage, so I’m really excited to go see something new.”
Currently, Negomir ranks 16th in the downhill cup standings, the second-highest American behind Cochran-Siegle, who sits in seventh. According to U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s selection criteria, up to four American athletes can compete in each discipline at the Olympics. Selection will depend on individual World Cup results from evaluation events held between October 25 and January 18.
As of now, Cochran-Siegle’s runner-up finish at Beaver Creek on December 4 meets the criteria for top-3 results. Negomir’s 11th-place finish is the next best result, followed closely by River Radamus’ 12th-place finish in the Birds of Prey super-G.
“I feel like I’m capable of more,” Negomir remarked, emphasizing his determination to continue improving. “Hopefully this builds a good platform to continue to push and hopefully be skiing at my best level at the Olympics — assuming I can make it.” As the competition intensifies, all eyes will be on Negomir and his teammates as they aim for Olympic glory.
