The Men's downhill competition of the 1960 Winter Olympics was held at Squaw Valley on Monday, February 22.

[2] Austrian Toni Sailer, the defending FIS Downhill World Champion did not compete as he had previously retired.

[5] Jean Vuarnet, the bronze medalist at the world championships two years earlier, won by a half-second in the only Olympic event of his career.

This was the first Olympic downhill in which crash helmets were mandatory,[11] following the race death in 1959 of Canadian John Semmelink at Garmisch, West Germany.

[12][13] During his final race, Semmelink wore a leather helmet, which was more protection than many racers used at the time.