Mikaela Shiffrin capped another electric night under the Flachau floodlights with her 107th career World Cup victory, but the real magic came in the shared joy with teammate Paula Moltzan as the Americans locked down a dominant 1-2 finish in the women’s slalom.
Shiffrin, the undisputed queen of slalom, powered to her sixth win of the 2025-26 season (and 70th in the discipline) with a combined time of 1:50.52, edging out Moltzan by 0.41 seconds. Austria’s Katharina Truppe took third (+0.65), but the spotlight belonged to the stars and stripes duo who turned the iconic Hermann Maier course into a celebration of teamwork.
In her post-race interview, Shiffrin beamed with genuine excitement about sharing the podium:
“It’s amazing to share this with @paulamoltzan. Podiums with teammates are the best thing in the world.”
The quote perfectly captured the infectious energy of the evening. After crossing the finish line, Shiffrin immediately gestured to Moltzan and the two shared a heartfelt embrace, with the crowd roaring in approval.
Here are the joyful moments of camaraderie that lit up the night:
The result marks Shiffrin’s sixth triumph in Flachau and comes at the perfect time—just weeks before the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics kick off on February 6. After a rare slalom defeat to Switzerland’s Camille Rast in Kranjska Gora, Shiffrin bounced back with trademark precision, leading after the first run (56.22 seconds) and holding firm in the decisive second leg.
Moltzan, chasing her breakthrough first World Cup win, delivered two stellar runs to secure silver—her third podium of the season and a huge confidence boost heading into the Games.
The electric Flachau atmosphere, with thousands cheering along the illuminated track, amplified the special vibe of this American masterclass.
More podium celebration shots that say it all:
Mikaela Shiffrin, Paula Moltzan go 1-2 in World Cup Flachau race
With Shiffrin leading the slalom and overall World Cup standings, and the U.S. team showing incredible depth, the road to Olympic gold looks brighter than ever.
What. A. Night. for Team USA! 🇺🇸
