Petra Vlohva was unbeatable

The first slalom race in the new decade took place in Zagreb in the best weather conditions and an excellent slope. In the first run, the challenge for the participants was to master the steep slope, the strong directional changes of the course setting and the final slope without any mistakes.

Petra Vlohva (SVK) started the race with bib number one. Her unimpressive run turned out to be a dream run only later after Wendy Holdener (SUI) was 1.81 seconds behind at the finish. Mikaela Shiffrin started last of the top seven group and was initially on a par with the Slovak. But shortly after the first intermediate time she was a bit surprised by the strong course change in the steep slope and had to brake heavily and fell behind the leader by 0.8 sec. until the 2nd intermediate time, but was able to keep the gap within limits.

The American was second after the first run (+ 1.16 sec.), followed by Wendy Holdener (+1.81 sec.), Katharina Liensberger (+1.99 sec.), Anna Swenn-Larsson (+2.00 sec.) and Katharina Truppe (+2.06 sec.).

The course setting in the second run was set more rhythmically
Nina Haver-Loseth was eighth after the first run and skied smoothly and very momentum with fastest time to take the lead in the second run. Her teammate Kristin Lysdahl and the Austrian Katharina Truppe, started after her but were not able to push the Norwegian from the top. Only Anna Swenn-Larsson was able to prevail with her dynamic skiing and took the lead by 0.17 seconds.

After the Swede, the best of the ÖSV squad, Katharina Liensberger, tried her luck and was very fast in the upper part. After mistakes in the steep slope she was behind again, but could shine with a brilliant final part and skied so fast that even Wendy Holdener, who started the race after her, could not snatch the lead from her.

Then it was Mikaela Shiffrin's turn. She started with a 0.83 sec. lead over Katharina Liensberger, who was in the lead. With a very clean and rhythmic skiing style she extended the lead to 1.77 sec. until the third intermediate time and increased the gap to 2.18 sec. until the finish. With her flawless and fast skiing she gained a big advantage and did her best to be able to win a fifth time in Zagreb.

But Petra Vlohva kept her nerve and, to the surprise of many, extended her lead over the American, so that with her technically flawless skiing she achieved the best time in two runs and thus won the slalom race in Zagreb in superior style.

With the big time gap that Petra Vlohva and Mikaela Shiffrin have opened up to their closest pursuers, they have proven that they are currently skiing in a league of their own.

Final ranking from the Slalom World Cup race in Zagreb: