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SELVA DI VAL GARDENA, Italy — American skier Bryce Bennett surprised the favorites by winning the Val Gardena downhill with a late start number as the men's World Cup speed season finally opened a month later than scheduled. The previous two stops on the circuit were wiped out due to bad weather. Bennett also won this race two years ago for his only other career win. He took advantage of improving light on the Saslong course with bib No. 34 and edged two-time defending downhill standings leader Aleksander Aamodt Kilde by 0.03 seconds. Two-time defending overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt was pushed down to third 0.05 behind.
