In difficult slope conditions, for the third year in a row, Petra Vlhová won the "Snow Queen Trophy" in the Sljeme's "Crveni spust" Slalom course.
Petra Vlhová is leading the Slalom standings after winning four races -Levi (2), Lienz, and Zagreb, and finished second behind Mikaela Shiffrin in the Killington slalom. She has been almost unbeatable in this discipline, winning four out of five slalom races this season. She just recorded a 16th slalom win, continuing a winning strike of 51 podiums.
Since the start of 2020, Vlhová has won 11 of the 17 slalom events held in the women's World Cup. Mikaela Shiffrin (3), Katharina Liensberger (2) and Michelle Gisin (1) won the other six.
Vlhová with 3 victories (2020, 2021, and 2022 and two second places in 2017 and 2019) joins Marcel Hirscher (5), Mikaela Shiffrin (4), Marlies Schild (4), and Tanja Poutiainen (2) as the only skiers on multiple slalom World Cup wins in Zagreb. She has only collected more World Cup slalom wins and podiums in Levi (5 wins, 7 podiums).
“It was very tough. In addition, the slope in Zagreb is quite long, and you can really feel it in your legs when you ski into the lower part. It is not easy to win so many races in a row. There is a lot of pressure from the outside. So it's time to take a deep breath and start again", said Vlhova.
Mikaela Shiffrin finished in second place +0.50 seconds behind the Slovakian. She finished on the podium in each of her last nine slalom participation in the World Cup, since the fourth place in Zagreb on 3 January 2021.
In her last 56 World Cup slalom participations, Shiffrin finished on the podium 52 times (37 wins).
"I couldn't train for ten days (after a positive COVID-test and being quarantined), but the races are the best practice, physically and mentally. I think I had really good skiing. That I could ski some of my best slalom is really cool. I'm coming back step by step - and that was a very big step today", said Shiffrin.
Katharina Liensberger rounded out the podium in third place +2.11 off the pace of Vlhova. Liensberger finished on the podium in the last three slalom events held in Zagreb: third in 2020, second in 2021, and third again in 2022.
“It was at the limit, I had to risk everything after the mistake. It was surprising that I stayed in the race. It's unbelievable that it's even enough for the podium. I feel fit again and know that I can bring more strength and confidence to skiing with every day", said the Austrian.
The podium in Zagreb also reflects the current ranking in the Slalom World Cup. In the fight for the small crystal ball, Vlhova holds 480 points after five races, followed by Shiffrin with 340 and Liensberger with 262 points. In the overall World Cup, on the other hand, Mikaela Shiffrin is leading with 830 points, Vlhova is second with 715 points, and Sofia Goggia is third with 657.
