Putting Rivalry Aside, Mikaela Shiffrin Drops Truth of Skiing With Petra Vlhova at Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2023/24

Alpine skiing queen Mikaela Shiffrin has been on an incredible spree this season, making sure to clinch the podium finishes on every slalom. Following suit, as Shiffrin ran down the slalom at Courchevel on 21st December, she took the second position, while Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova ended her run with first position. As the American skier took home silver, she took a moment to embrace the glory clinched by her Slovakian counterpart.

Petra Vlhova charged at great speeds and closed the gap between her and Shiffrin to take the win despite bad weather conditions. A social media post showcased Mikaela Shiffrin dropping her on-field rivalry woes and joining hands with her Slovakian opponent, who won her 21st career win in a slalom.

Mikaela Shiffrin goes sunny after losing in bad weather conditions

Mikaela Shiffrin took to Instagram and added a post to raise a toast to Vlhova after the Slovakian won the slalom in Courchevel. She wrote, “Huge congrats to @petravlhova13, just watched her second run and it was (right on the money)… “ Adding a word for her US counterpart Paula Moltzan who came fifth, she said, “Congrats to @kathitruppe as well and especially @paulamoltzan for season PB so far!” 

Speaking about her racing experience, Mikaela Shiffrin said, “I am so excited that I was able to put down some of my best slalom turns tonight, especially after taking a bit of a hiatus from the short skis for speed the last couple weeks! Feeling good, and also hungry…” 

Mikaela Shiffrin posted several images, with the leading image showcasing the top three women holding hands atop the podium. This is the 23rd such race where both competitors have secured the top two positions. Shiffrin was initially on top of the leaderboard and was about to force Vlhova to take the second position for the 11th time against her. However, the Slovakian turned things around and trailed the American by 0.17 seconds after the opening run.

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Petra Vlhova expressed her elation with confidence

Expressing her elation following the triumph, Petra Vlhova said, “I am feeling great, with big confidence… The last races, I was always there but something was missing. This victory is really important. I know that I can be fast, and today I showed.” Vlhova, who trailed behind Mikaela Shiffrin by 0.17 seconds, eventually secured a win by 0.24 seconds.

Speaking about her on-field rivalry with Mikaela Shiffrin, Vlhova said, “It’s really good for our sport because I think we are pushing each other. We are maybe putting our skiing to higher levels.” With this win, Vlhova now has one slalom win in her bag for this season, while Shiffrin has two. Which of these brilliant skiers do you think will end up on top by the end of the season?

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