The Stifel U.S. Ski Team delivered a powerhouse performance in Tuesday’s World Cup giant slalom at Kronplatz, Italy, with Mikaela Shiffrin charging to another strong fourth-place finish—her best GS result of the 2025-26 season and a clear sign she’s peaking just in time for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics!
The two-time Olympic gold medalist, who sits atop the overall World Cup standings and dominates slalom with six wins in seven races, showed massive progress in giant slalom. Finishing just 0.86 seconds behind winner Julia Scheib (AUT), Shiffrin posted the third-fastest second run on the tough Erta slope, slotting into the lead before a few rivals edged her out. “It’s a positive step forward,” Shiffrin reflected, highlighting her improving confidence and form after recent top-6 finishes (4th, 5th, 6th in the last three GS events). With the Olympics just weeks away on Italian snow, this near-podium is huge momentum for the American legend chasing more hardware.
Teammate Paula Moltzan kept the U.S. charge rolling with a confident eighth-place result—her fourth straight top-10 and 10th of the season—proving her consistency and aggression pay off big time.
The biggest feel-good story? Young gun Elisabeth Bocock exploded onto the scene with a blistering second run to claim a career-best 12th place—a massive breakthrough for the rising star and a huge boost for the team’s depth heading into the Games.
While Austria’s Scheib claimed her fourth GS win of the season, Switzerland’s Camille Rast took silver, and Sweden’s Sara Hector bronze, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team showed serious strength across the board (despite DNFs from AJ Hurt and Nina O’Brien). This performance on a venue close to Cortina d’Ampezzo screams potential for multi-medal hauls next month!
Team USA is locked in and building—Shiffrin closing in on GS podiums, Moltzan consistent as ever, and Bocock breaking through. Are we looking at Olympic magic in the making? Who’s your pick for U.S. medals in Cortina? Drop your thoughts and tag your ski squad! 💪🇺🇸
