Spindleruv Mlyn: Hector Wins Giant Slalom, USA Claims Double Podium Ahead of Olympics

Sara Hector (SWE) claimed victory in the Spindleruv Mlyn giant slalom with a combined time of 2:23.86, edging out Americans Paula Moltzan (USA, +0.18) and Mikaela Shiffrin (USA, +0.23). Leading after the first run, the reigning Olympic champion managed her advantage perfectly to secure her first victory of the season, just two weeks ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Julia Scheib (AUT), the favorite and discipline leader, crashed out in the second run while sitting third at the interval.

Hector Returns to Winning Ways at Perfect Timing

Leading after the first run with a time of 1:11.63, Sara Hector managed her advantage perfectly in the second run (3rd fastest at 1:12.23) to claim victory. The 33-year-old Swede ended a year-long drought, her last win dating back to January 2025 in Kranjska Gora.

For the reigning Olympic champion in the discipline, this eighth World Cup victory (all in giant slalom) comes at the perfect moment, exactly two weeks before the Milan-Cortina Olympics where she will defend her title won in Beijing 2022.

Leading after the first run by just two-hundredths over Camille Rast, Hector delivered a solid second run to maintain her lead and edge Paula Moltzan by 18-hundredths. This victory follows a strong start to the season with two podium finishes, including a third place in Semmering in late December and another in Kronplatz last Tuesday.

Moltzan: A Charging Second Run

Paula Moltzan delivered one of the finest performances of her career by securing second place, her best giant slalom result of the season. The 30-year-old American, sitting fifth after the first run at 53-hundredths behind Hector, produced an exceptional second run.

With the fastest second run time of 1:12.04—35-hundredths faster than her opening run—Moltzan charged up three positions to claim the podium. This performance confirms her ability to raise her level in the second run, a quality she has regularly demonstrated this season. This runner-up finish sends a strong signal just two weeks ahead of the Olympics.

Shiffrin: A Welcome Return to the Giant Slalom Podium

Mikaela Shiffrin secured her first giant slalom podium since January 2024, ending a long streak of eleven consecutive races without a top-three finish in the discipline. The overall World Cup leader finished third, just 23-hundredths behind the winner.

Fourth after the first run at 43-hundredths behind Hector, the American confirmed in the second run with the second-fastest time (just 20-hundredths behind Moltzan) to secure her podium spot.

This performance comes at the perfect time for the four-time Olympic champion, who continues her gradual return to top form following the serious side injury sustained in Killington in November 2024. While she has dominated the slalom this season (five wins in five races), she had been searching for her rhythm in giant slalom. This podium provides crucial confidence ahead of Milan-Cortina.

Rast: Frustrated Just Off the Podium

Camille Rast finished just off the podium for the second consecutive race. The Swiss, reigning world slalom champion, was ideally positioned after the first run (2nd, just 0.02 behind Hector).

However, in the second run, Rast could only manage the fourth-fastest time and had to settle for fourth place overall, 33-hundredths shy of the podium. This disappointing finale is frustrating for the 30-year-old, who was clearly targeting a podium finish after her excellent opening run. Despite this disappointment, Rast remains solidly in second place in the discipline standings.

Scheib: A Brutal Blow

Julia Scheib, the heavy favorite and discipline leader with 560 points, failed to finish her race. The Austrian, who had won four of the seven giant slaloms contested this season (Sölden, Mont-Tremblant x2, Semmering, Kronplatz), was forced to retire (DNF) in the second run.

Third after the first run, just 26-hundredths behind Hector, Scheib was perfectly positioned to pursue a fifth victory. Her crash comes at the worst possible time, two weeks ahead of the Olympics where she was among the top favorites for giant slalom gold.

This setback opens the door for a new redistribution of cards in the race for the crystal globe in the discipline, where Scheib nevertheless maintains a comfortable lead over Rast (421 points) and Hector (who moves up to 3rd with 329 points).

Other Notable Performances

Lara Della Mea (ITA, 7th, +2.98): The 24-year-old Italian confirms her upward trajectory with a seventh consecutive top-10 finish. Eighth after the first run, she nevertheless lost a few positions in the second run.

Lara Colturi (ALB, 12th, +3.87): The young Albanian skier (born in Italy) continues to accumulate valuable World Cup points. Starting from 21st position after the first run, she delivered a strong comeback.

Nina Astner (AUT, 13th, +3.88): The Austrian produced an excellent charge from 23rd position at the interval.

Olympic Context: Final Rehearsal

This Spindleruv Mlyn race marked the final giant slalom before the Olympics in Milan-Cortina, where the discipline will be contested on February 15.

Several favorites chose to skip this race to focus on Olympic preparation, notably Federica Brignone (ITA), the reigning world champion in the discipline, who continues her rehabilitation following nine months away, and Sofia Goggia (ITA), who is focusing on the speed disciplines.

The next two weeks will be crucial for today's medalists, who have shown they are arriving in form at the perfect moment.

Up Next: Sunday Slalom

Slalom on Sunday, January 25 in Spindleruv Mlyn (10:00 and 13:00 local time)

Mikaela Shiffrin will attempt to extend her slalom winning streak (5/5 this season) before the final pre-Olympic slalom race. The slalom queen will target a sixth consecutive victory to cement her dominance ahead of Milan-Cortina.