In a moment of raw honesty and redemption, skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin admitted she once stared at the brutal Erta slope in Kronplatz and thought, “I don’t think I can do that…”
Two years of missing the iconic giant slalom race—due to injury, schedule, or circumstance—made Tuesday’s return feel surreal. But on January 20, 2026, the American legend lined up at the start of what she calls “the best GS race of our season,” attacked the demanding hill with precision and heart, and powered to a strong 4th place in the FIS World Cup women’s giant slalom.
Shiffrin, the overall World Cup leader and two-time Olympic gold medalist, posted a combined time of 2:20.71 (+0.86 behind the winner), delivering the third-fastest second run on a course known for punishing hesitation. “4th, and very happy with so many of my turns on a very demanding hill!” she shared in a heartfelt post-race reflection, highlighting the personal victory amid the results.
Austria’s Julia Scheib dominated once again, charging from third after the first run to claim her fourth GS win of the 2025-26 season in 2:19.85. Switzerland’s Camille Rast secured second (+0.37), her fourth runner-up of the year, while Sweden’s Sara Hector—defending Olympic GS champion—held onto third (+0.46) despite fading slightly in the second leg.
The emotional highlight? Italy’s Federica Brignone, making her triumphant comeback from a serious leg injury (a fractured tibia and fibula in April 2025), finished an inspiring sixth (+1.23). The home crowd erupted as she attacked the course with visible confidence, proving her readiness for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics on home snow. Shiffrin gave her an extra shoutout: “Even bigger congrats to @federicabrignone for returning to GS racing in this way—was incredible to watch you ski yesterday 👏🏻👏🏻.”
Shiffrin also praised the podium finishers: “Huge congrats to @julia.scheib, @camille_rast, and @sarahector for yesterday’s performance.”
With the Olympics just weeks away (opening February 6, 2026), Shiffrin is building momentum in giant slalom—now with three straight top-six finishes in the discipline—and remains hungry. “From where I was last year, I would have dreamed of getting fourth, no problem,” she told reporters. “But now I want more.”
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team has no downtime: they’re already prepping for the final pre-Olympic GS in Špindlerův Mlýn, Czech Republic, this weekend. For Shiffrin, the journey from doubt to dominance on one of skiing’s toughest hills is the perfect fuel heading into Cortina.
