Paula Moltzan made an impressive start to the alpine skiing World Cup season by achieving her career-best result in giant slalom. However, she pondered if peaking too early could affect her performance at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, still months away. Moltzan emphasized the importance of building a strong foundation for future success rather than peaking prematurely.
While the World Cup season holds significant importance for skiers annually, the opportunity to compete for Olympic medals arises only once every four years. Moltzan, who finished second to Austrian Julia Scheib in the giant slalom, acknowledged the concept of peaking in preparation for key events like the Olympics. Her coaches closely monitor her progress, ensuring she maintains an optimal balance of training and recovery to align her performance for the Olympics.
On the other hand, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin adopts a strategic approach, focusing on maintaining a high level of performance throughout the season rather than aiming for a specific peak moment. Shiffrin emphasized the importance of managing training, energy, and recovery effectively to sustain peak performance consistently.
Opinions diverge on whether skiers should tailor their entire World Cup season around the Olympics. Austrian skier Vincent Kriechmayr highlighted the challenge of timing peak performance, especially with critical races preceding the Olympics. The unpredictability of factors during major events like the Olympics and world championships adds complexity to planning, as noted by Roland Assinger, the head coach of the Austria women’s team.
Despite the upcoming home Olympics, skiers like Sofia Goggia and Lara Gut-Behrami approach the season like any other, focusing on giving their best each day. Goggia stressed the variability of outdoor skiing and the importance of maximizing efforts daily. Gut-Behrami, despite announcing her retirement, emphasized the significance of consistent performance throughout the season to peak effectively in February.
Former World Cup champion Alexis Pinturault believes success can be strategically planned, particularly when focusing on a single discipline. Pinturault’s shift to specializing in giant slalom reflects a deliberate strategy to optimize performance, considering his previous knee injuries. Other skiers like Henrik Kristoffersen stress the importance of winning races consistently to build momentum and peak effectively for major events like the Olympics.