Levi (Finland) (AFP)

Sensation in Levi: for the first time in nearly three years, the American queen Mikaela Shiffrin missed the podium in a World Cup slalom on Sunday as the Slovakian Petra Vlhova won again and made an impression.

With a rare angry cry on her part, Petra Vlhova put an end to the finish area on her excellent second run, following on from an exceptional series.

The 25-year-old Slovakian won her second slalom in two days in Finland, her fifth consecutive World Cup.

Holder of the title of the small globe of the specialty, Vlhova thus seems to gain the upper hand between tight stakes on the ex-untouchable Mikaela Shiffrin (48 victories in the discipline, a record).

At the top of the overall World Cup standings, Petra Vlhova scored her 16th victory on Sunday.

Since Levi's stage two years ago, she has played 17 World Cup slaloms for 15 podiums (including 6 victories).

Former specialist in slalom only, Petra Vlhova now knows how to perform as a giant (she is the reigning world champion) and has been lining up since last winter also in the speed events.

In constant progress, it is one of the big favorites for the big crystal globe (2nd in 2019, 3rd in 2020).

- Shiffrin only 5th -

If the series of the Slovak impresses, another has ended: that of the American Mikaela Shiffrin.

The three-time winner of the big crystal globe with 66 victories at 25 years old missed the podium in Levi (5th to 93 hundredths), a first for almost three years in the World Cup and the slalom in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) in January 2018, where she left the track.

Staggering statistic, it is even the first time since Are (Sweden) in December 2014 and 44 World Cup slaloms that Shiffrin does not grab the podium when she finishes a slalom.

But the American will be satisfied with a reassuring weekend (2nd Saturday) for her return after nearly 10 months without competition because of a real black series (death of her father, pandemic of new coronavirus, problems back).

In Levi's fog, north of the Arctic Circle, the Swiss Michelle Gisin (26) also raised her arms: tied with Vlhova after the first run, she finally finished 2nd at 31 hundredths, her best career result in slalom.

The Austrian Katharina Liensberger clocked the best time on the 2nd track to take 3rd place (50 hundredths), as on Saturday.

Holder of the Big Globe title, the Italian Federica Brignone, a non-specialist in slalom, managed to score points by finishing 24th (off the track on Saturday).

The Swedish skiers, in particular the world No. 5 in slalom Anna Swenn-Larsson, were still deprived of the race because they were isolated at the request of the Finnish authorities, following a positive test for Covid-19 from their trainer.

No Frenchwoman has managed to qualify for the second round.

© 2020 AFP