The long duel between ski racers Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Marco Odermatt is building up a good three weeks before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
Norway's Kilde won the first of two downhills in Wengen on Friday and celebrated his fifth win of the season, his Swiss rival Odermatt finished second, 0.19 seconds back.
Odermatt's compatriot Beat Feuz came in third (+0.30).
The German speed men experienced a debacle and all missed out on the top 20.
"It's a nice feeling," said Kilde, who had finished second in the Super-G the day before - behind Odermatt.
The Swiss has even won six times this winter.
Together, Odermatt, the leader in the overall World Cup, and his pursuer Kilde are the defining figures of this season.
At the games in China (February 4th to 20th) they are among the absolute top favorites for the medals.
“Very disappointing at the moment”
It remains to be seen whether the Germans will also be able to compete for the front seats there.
After their sometimes strong performances in the Super-G on Thursday, they suffered a severe setback this time.
Romed Baumann and Josef Ferstl, who had impressed the day before in fourth and sixth, finished 27th and 33rd. Dominik Schwaiger, Simon Jocher and Andreas Sander finished 24th, 38th and 41st.
Especially with Sander, the World Cup runner-up, the worm is in there.
His best downhill result so far this winter was eleventh place in Val Gardena just before Christmas.
"It doesn't go together at all," said Sander on ZDF.
"It's very disappointing right now."
The special start rights that World Champion Vincent Kriechmayr received from the World Association Fis caused a sensation.
The Austrian had missed the downhill training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday as a result of a positive corona test from the previous week.
According to the regulations, however, participation in at least one training session is mandatory for the start in the downhill run.
After being given the green light by a jury decision, Kriechmayr drove out of the starting gate on Friday morning.
After a few meters, he broke off the journey and went on to the normal route inspection.
The 30-year-old then finished twelfth in the race.
On Saturday there is a second, longer descent.