Also announced among the favorites on the Emile-Allais track, the Italians Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino, the French Tessa Worley or the Slovakian Petra Vlhova.

Twice two rounds therefore, since Courchevel has recovered the women's giant canceled at the end of November in Killington (United States) due to bad weather conditions.

A godsend for the very upscale Savoyard resort which will also host, with Méribel, the finals of the Alpine Skiing World Cup from March 14 to 20, one year before the Worlds in 2023.

Shiffrin, to whom Goggia delighted this weekend at the head of the general classification of the World Cup (with 75 small points difference at this stage) thanks to his double in downhill and super-G in Val d'Isère, will have at heart to rebuild.

The triple winner of the big crystal globe (from 2017 to 2019) had just chained three very high level super-Gs (6th in Lake Louise, twice 3rd in St. Moritz in mid-December) in eight days.

However, she failed to get on the podium in Val d'Isère, finishing 5th at 75 hundredths behind Goggia, a gap she blamed on her "lack of experience" on this track.

"I was hoping to gain some points," she confessed.

Petra Vlhova, absent from Val d'Isère, is for her part in third place in the general classification.

The French Tessa Worley is also expected, very motivated after her "frustrating" start to the season in Saint-Moritz (she was out in the upper part of the layout).

Frenchwoman Tessa Worley during the Women's Super G of the Alpine Skiing World Cup stage in Saint-Moritz, Switzerland, December 12, 2021. Fabrice COFFRINI AFP

Courchevel "is a slope that suits me well, it is a real beautiful giant slope. It is very technical and physical. We have the chance to ski a lot there, because we regularly go to Courchevel for training. conditions are top (...) This will allow me to raise my level of commitment and I hope to have two very solid races with two big heats each time ", she declared.

Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami, for her part, had to withdraw from both Val d'Isère and Courchevel after testing positive for Covid-19, which could cost her dearly in terms of points over the season.

Same punishment for New Zealander Alice Robinson: "Unfortunately I tested positive for Covid-19 last week in Italy and I have been in isolation since," she announced on her Instagram account, declaring herself "extremely disappointed" to miss the four French stages.

Program of the Courchevel Women's World Cup:

Tuesday, December 21: giant slalom, first round at 10 a.m., second round at 1 p.m.

Wednesday December 22: giant slalom, first round at 10 a.m., second round at 1 p.m.

© 2021 AFP