Just over an hour's drive from Cortina d'Ampezzo, the site of women's Alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Julia Scheib (AUT) continued her giant slalom brilliance in Kronplatz, Italy, charging to her fourth World Cup win of the 2025-26 season. She clocked in at 2:19.85.

It was a raceday of redemption for Scheib, who crashed at the venue a year ago only a few meters before the finish line. With the outcome, the 27-year-old maintained her hold on the GS red bib and further established herself as the gold medal favorite in the discipline at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. 

In the seven events she's competed in this Cup campaign, all giant slaloms, Scheib has posted four 1st's, two 2nd's and a DNF.

Burgeoning Swiss superstar Camille Rast secured second in Kronplatz (+0.37), her fourth runner-up finish of the season. She has missed the podium just once in her last seven races.

Sara Hector (SWE), who will carve into Milan Cortina as the defending Olympic gold medalist in giant slalom, placed third (+0.46). Hector posted the fastest time in Run 1, but a few mistakes in Run 2 pushed her down the leaderboard.

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) barely missed what would have been her first giant slalom podium of the 25-26 Cup campaign, claiming fourth (+0.86). Shiffrin, the overall Cup points leader and slalom savant, seems to inch closer and closer to her top GS form with each passing race. In her last three contests in the discipline, she's finished 4th, 5th and 6th and will have one more chance to find the GS podium before the Winter Games.

After a 292-day absence, Federica Brignone (ITA) returned to World Cup action and put the Alpine skiing world on notice. She came in 6th and looked very much like her two-time overall Crystal Globe winning self, a welcome sight for the home country crowd and Italian fans. 

In April of 2025, Brignone, who was coming off one of her best Cup seasons to date, sustained a gruesome injury from a crash in which she fractured her left tibia and fibula. 

Brignone underwent multiple surgeries and rehabbed diligently for the opportunity to ski for Italy in Milan Cortina. For months, it was unclear whether the three-time medalist would make it back in time. Last week, her brother (and coach) confirmed her return.

"As things stand, we’re certain Federica will be on the start line at the Olympic races,” Davide Brignone said. "Everything else will be evaluated day by day, as it has been over the past nine months.” 

Kronplatz was a nice tune-up for Brignone. It's a safe bet she'll compete in at least one more race before the Games, especially if the 35-year-old plans to participate in multiple events there.

Paula Moltzan (USA) snagged yet another top-10 finish, her 10th of the season and fourth in a row. Elisabeth Bocock (USA) threw down a pair of impressive runs, placing 12th, the best result of her young career. To say the timing for said performance was impeccable would be an understatement, as U.S. Ski & Snowboard is in the process of deliberating Team USA Olympic selections. 

Nina O'Brien (USA) and AJ Hurt (USA) both qualified for a second run, but DNF'd. Meanwhile, Katie Hensien (USA) DNF'd her first run and Mary Bocock (USA), Elisabeth's older sister, failed to qualify for Run 2.

The final giant slalom and slalom races for the women before the 2026 Winter Olympics will go down this coming weekend in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czechia.