Feuz earns 1st Kitzbühel win in downhill marred by crashes

Swiss skier Beat Feuz won a men's World Cup downhill on classic Streif course for first time Friday as teammate Urs Kryenbühl crashed bly on final jump.

Approaching finish at nearly 150 kph (93 mph), Kryenbühl lost his balance in air and smashed sideways into icy slope.

Kryenbühl looked up and leaned on his elbow while being attended by medics. He was taken to hospital by helicopter 20 minutes later.

Swiss ski team said Kryenbühl was conscious and recognized one of his coaches. re was furr update on his condition.

accident resembled crashes by Scott Macartney in 2008 and Daniel Albrecht following year. Both suffered life-threatening brain injuries.

Earlier in race, American racer Ryan Cochran-Siegle escaped serious injury in ar frightening crash a bit higher up course.

race was interrupted several more times because of strong winds and finally stopped after 30 starters when conditions became dangerous.

Results of a downhill stand when at least top 30 racers have started ir run.

Feuz, who finished runner-up in each of past three seasons, mastered challenging hill and remained in his tuck during jumps to finish 0.16 seconds ahe of last year’s winner, Matthias Mayer of Austria.

Dominik Paris, a three-time winner on Streif, was 0.56 behind in third for Italian's first podium since damaging his knee in a downhill training crash on this course a year ago.

Cochran-Siegle lost balance when he leaned back while landing a jump near end of his run, slid off course and cut his way through first row of safety nets.

American sat up right away, took his helmet off and touched his shoulder, but seemed unhurt orwise. He was also transported off hill by helicopter.

Cochran-Siegle, who won his first World Cup race in Italy in December and posted fastest time in training on Streif on Wednesday, led Feuz by up to 0.15 seconds at first three splits but was eight-tenths off le just before crash.

race in Austrian Alps usually draws up to 50,000 spectators but fans were allowed this year amid tight anti-coronavirus measures.

event was rescheduled from ar iconic resort, Wengen in Switzerland, where race was canceled last week after a rise in COVID-19 infections.

Ar downhill on Streif is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a super-G on Sunday.