Paris (AFP)

The American Mikaela Shiffrin, triple winner of the world No. 1 between 2017 and 2019, admits that she is not yet in total confidence, especially in slalom, her strong discipline that she finds again Sunday in Zagreb.

The ultra-dominant Mikaela Shiffrin in world alpine skiing, capable of winning everywhere and untouchable in slalom, disappeared in 2020, between the pandemic and the sudden death of her father, which had a lasting impact on her.

Unable to win a slalom in 2020 (five races contested), a period of hunger unprecedented in a calendar year since 2011, Shiffrin is offered in Zagreb an opportunity to start 2021 perfectly, after finishing 3rd Tuesday in Semmering (Austria), the 99th podium of his career.

"I think I haven't skied at my best in the slalom since the start of last season. The last few weeks have given me the opportunity to focus on it, I have worked on several pairs of skis with my equipment supplier Atomic, details that can make a big difference, she explained during a press briefing. I feel that my ski is coming back. In Semmering, it was both exhilarating and frustrating. I made mistakes , I cannot find this confidence which makes it possible, when one sets off at the start, to be sure of being able to thwart the traps, to make up for mistakes. It is a difficult state to find. "

- Cortina objective -

The American, with 67 World Cup victories at only 25 years old, still knows how to win races, as she showed on the Courchevel giant three weeks ago, but does not compare this victory to her relentless successes until in 2019.

"My main goal is to find this mental aspect where I have nothing to think about other than my skiing, knowing instinctively how hard to ski."

To do this, Shiffrin is giving herself time by not taking part in the speed events, which she will not find before the end of January at the earliest.

At the third of the season, she took part in only half of the races (5 out of 10), and yet is in 3rd place in the general classification of the World Cup, 180 points behind Slovak leader Petra Vlhova , who battles with the Swiss Michelle Gisin (at 88 points), winner of her first slalom at Semmering, and with the Italian Federica Brignone, defending champion relegated to 192 points and therefore behind Shiffrin.

"It motivates me to catch up with this fight, but today it's much healthier for me not to take part in it," tempers the American.

Her rise in power could bring her in full possession of her means for the big meeting of the winter, the Worlds in Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy, February 8-21), she who is already five times world champion.

The Zagreb Women's World Cup program:

Sunday January 3: slalom, 1st round at 12:30 p.m., 2nd round at 4:00 p.m.

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