Mikaela Shiffrin makes podium in first race since Olympics

Mikaela Shiffrin finished second in her first race since the Olympics, breaking her tie with Petra Vlhova for the World Cup overall standings lead.

“After the last couple of weeks, I really appreciate this,” said Shiffrin, who had a best Olympic finish of ninth in five individual events. “I’ve been actually pretty awful to be around with my team. They’re trying to lift me up a bit. Not because of the Olympics, but of course it’s a big part of it. It’s just been heavy. Everything felt really, really heavy on my mind and on my heart.

“I finally just actually enjoyed skiing for a day. I just want to focus on that.”

France’s Romane Miradoli was the surprise super-G winner in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The 27-year-old’s best previous individual finish in 126 World Cup starts was fifth.

Shiffrin, .38 of a second behind, notched her best super-G result since Jan. 26, 2020, when she won in her last race before her father’s death.

Olympic champion Lara Gut-Behrami was third.

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Vlhova was 18th, so Shiffrin took a 67-point lead in a close competition for the overall title, the biggest annual prize in ski racing combining results in all disciplines over the World Cup season.

A notable spectator was Roger Federer, who met with skiers including Shiffrin at the bottom of the course. Federer and Shiffrin share a sponsor in Barilla and have appeared in a commercial together.

There are seven more races scheduled in the 37-race season, starting with a giant slalom in Lenzerheide on Sunday.

Shiffrin won three consecutive World Cup overall titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Vlhova is the reigning champion.

With a fourth crown, Shiffrin can tie Lindsey Vonn for second place in women’s history,