Fresh off obliterating the field by a jaw-dropping 1.66 seconds in Levi – her most dominant slalom win in nearly two years – Mikaela Shiffrin heads to the high-alpine Kirchenkar slope in Gurgl this Sunday hunting for World Cup victory No. 103. With the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics now just 78 days away, the 30-year-old American queen of technical skiing is sending a deafening message: she’s back, she’s unbreakable, and the rest of the world is racing for silver.
Here are the five things every ski fan needs to watch when the gates drop in Gurgl:
Can Anyone Even Touch Her Right Now?
Shiffrin’s Levi masterclass was vintage destruction: fastest in both runs, untouchable on the steep, and mentally locked in like it’s 2019 all over again. Absent longtime nemesis Petra Vlhová (still rehabbing a knee injury), the field is wide open – but after that 1.66-second demolition, who dares believe they can close the gap on a fired-up Shiffrin?
The Teen Sensations Trying to Crash the Party
19-year-old Albanian phenom Lara Colturi (second in Levi on her birthday) and Germany’s Emma Aicher (first career podium in third) announced themselves as the new generation in Finland. Gurgl’s icy, high-altitude pitch favors pure technicians – will the kids push Shiffrin into the red zone or get another lesson in why she owns 65 slalom wins?
Gurgl’s Brutal New Women’s Course – First Time Ever
The Kirchenkar in Hochgurgl sits above 2,500 meters with breathtaking views and unforgiving fall-away terrain. This is the inaugural women’s World Cup slalom here, and early snow control reports confirm bulletproof ice. Shiffrin thrives on these aggressive, injection-hard tracks – expect her to attack from bib 1 and try to build another untouchable first-run lead.
Olympic Statement Season in Full Swing
With Milano-Cortina looming, every race is a dress rehearsal. Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic slalom medalist, is stacking confidence at warp speed. A second straight romp would make her the overwhelming favorite to defend her 2018 gold and silence any lingering questions about age, injuries, or the next gen.
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde Cheering from the Sidelines (and Maybe the Finish Area)
Fiancé and Norwegian speed king Aleksander Aamodt Kilde continues his own comeback from last year’s horror crash. The power couple spent the off-season training and healing together – don’t be surprised if Kilde is front-row in Gurgl, giving the internet yet another dose of #Shiffilde magic as Mikaela chases history.
First run drops Sunday at 10:00 CET / 4:00 a.m. ET, second run at 13:00 CET / 7:00 a.m. ET – live on Peacock in the U.S. and streaming worldwide.
One thing is already crystal clear: when Mikaela Shiffrin is skiing like this, the mountain might as well have her name on it. Buckle up – Gurgl is about to get Shiffrin’d.
