When Paula Moltzan kicked off the alpine skiing World Cup season recently with her best-ever performance in giant slalom, she found herself pondering a crucial question. Could she be hitting her peak too soon, considering the Milan-Cortina Olympics are still over three months away? Moltzan, however, remains optimistic, viewing her current form as a solid foundation to progress from. While the World Cup season spans five months and holds significant importance for skiers, the opportunity to vie for Olympic glory arises only once every four years.
The debate among skiers revolves around whether they should tailor their World Cup season to peak during the Olympics, the pinnacle of their sport. Moltzan, the runner-up in the recent giant slalom event, acknowledges the concept of peaking and emphasizes the meticulous tracking done by her coaches to ensure she is on the right path towards the Olympics. Meanwhile, Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic champion, adopts a different strategy, focusing on maintaining a high level of performance throughout the season without targeting a specific peak moment.
The discussion on planning the World Cup season around the Olympics remains divided. Some skiers, like Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr, believe in timing their peak form before the Olympics, citing the importance of key events leading up to the Games. Others, such as Italian Sofia Goggia and Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami, approach each season with a consistent mindset, aiming to give their best in every race. Former overall World Cup champion Alexis Pinturault advocates for strategic planning, particularly for athletes competing in single disciplines like himself, concentrating solely on giant slalom.
The consensus among skiers is to focus on maintaining form throughout the season, with success being a result of consistent effort and performance. Henrik Kristoffersen, a Norwegian tech specialist, sums it up by emphasizing the importance of winning races to build momentum and preparation for the Olympics. As skiers navigate the upcoming season, each athlete’s approach to training and competition reflects their individual strategies for achieving success on the world stage.