Mikaela Shiffrin gets her 70th victory in the world cup today in Sölden. Mikaela Shiffrin is the third skier in World Cup history to reach the 70-win mark, after Ingemar Stenmark and Lindsey Vonn achieved 86 and 82 wins in the World Cup, respectively.
It's the second time she wins in the Rettenbach Glacier. In 2014 she shared the first position on the podium with Anna Fenninger.
The 26-year-old American beat Lara Gut-Behrami in an exciting duel, setting the fastest time in the second run to prevail with a margin of 0.14 seconds.
In perfect conditions, and with the return of the public (9,000 spectators) to a World Cup venue for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the American and Swiss riders were in their own league.
With today's victory, Mikaela Shiffrin has won at least one race in ten consecutive years on the top circuit and she becomes the first athlete ever to win at least one Giant slalom in a series of six seasons.
Since 2018, Mikaela Shiffrin has finished on the podium in 16 (8 victories) of her last 25 World Cup appearances in the Giant Slalom.
“I felt good during my run. The last two weeks we have worked really well in the team, we have kept improving, (...) starting off the season strong is important so I'm super happy", said Shiffrin after her 13th Giant Slalom victory.
"This race is so tough because it’s early to start, already racing in October, and you’re like, ‘Oh gosh, here we go’", Shiffrin added.
"Today was a pleasure to ski in these conditions, the slope was exceptionally well prepared. I came back to win here after so many years. Here I have learned from negative and positive situations, today is certainly a good day for the sensations on the slope and for the result".
After the first run, Gut-Behrami led by merely 2 hundredths and held up well in the second run. In the last section, the two were practically tied before the Swiss lost some time in the flat final section.
But in the end, she was also satisfied with second place. “I knew I had to accelerate. I've missed the fact that I'm really fast for a long time, even though not everything went right. The ski did not always grip on the steep section of the slope. My goal is to ski as well as possible, and I try to do that from race to race”, said Gut-Behrami.
Petra Vlhova rounded out the podium in third place +1.30 behind.
Katharina Liensberger fourth was the best Austrian (+1.39).
Marta Bassino and Federica Brignone, who finished in first and second place last season, were out in the first and second run respectively.
It was also a great day for Great Britain's Alex Tilley (bib 40). She has equaled today in Sölden her previous best World Cup Giant Slalom result after setting the 5th fastest time in the second run to finish in 13th place.
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