Mikaela Shiffrin secured her first World Cup giant slalom podium in two years, finishing third in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czechia. Sweden's Sara Hector won the race, her first victory since January 2025. American Paula Moltzan took second, marking her third podium of the season and a strong U.S. showing ahead of the Olympics.

This result ends a long drought for Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic GS champion. She hadn't finished top-three in 11 events since January 2024, a period complicated by a severe abdominal injury and post-traumatic stress. Her return to the podium, three weeks before the Milan Cortina Games, signals her form is finally aligning for the Olympic stage.

The race was a key final tune-up. Hector held her first-run lead, while World Cup GS leader Julia Scheib skied out. The U.S. team also saw Nina O'Brien finish fifth and AJ Hurt eighth, showing depth. With Olympic speed racers sitting out, this result reshapes the alpine narrative heading into Cortina d'Ampezzo.