Mikaela Shiffrin did not win a medal in the team combined event. © APA/afp / STEFANO RELLANDINI

Combination sensation: Shiffrin's nerves also fail him.

Everything seemed set for gold in the team combined: Olympic champion Breezy Johnson once again posted the fastest time in the downhill. But then, of all people, US superstar Mikaela Shiffrin ruined it in the slalom.

February 10, 2026

From: dl

Shiffrin and the Olympics had recently fallen apart: After her disappointing performance in Beijing four years ago, she was actually on track for her third Winter Olympic gold medal on Tuesday in Cortina. But Shiffrin couldn't find her rhythm in the slalom and finished in a disappointing fourth place, tied with Johnson. She was just six hundredths of a second away from a medal and only 31 hundredths of a second from gold.

Gold went sensationally to the Austrians Ariane Rädler and Katharina Huber. The Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) duo narrowly edged out the Germans Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and Emma Aicher, and the Americans Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan. It is the first Olympic gold for the Austrian women since Anna Fenninger's triumph in the Super-G at Sochi 2014, and the second gold medal for Austria at these Games after that of snowboarder Benjamin Karl.

Martina Peterlini (left) needed to be comforted by Laura Pirovano. © APA/afp / STEFANO RELLANDINI

The two Trentino skiers, Laura Pirovano and Martina Peterlini, had finished third after the downhill. Peterlini also initially performed well in the slalom, even leading after the second split. However, the slalom specialist from Rovereto then crashed out. Pirovano subsequently consoled her utterly disappointed teammate at the finish line.

Anna Trockener points to

Anna Trocker, who formed a South Tyrolean duo with Nicol Delago, made a real statement. After finishing tenth in the downhill, the 17-year-old Trocker showed great courage in the slalom, taking considerable risks. While the skier from Völs wasn't flawless, she managed to maintain tenth place overall. A remarkable achievement – ​​especially considering it was Trocker's Olympic debut. The South Tyrolean was even 19 hundredths of a second faster than Shiffrin in the slalom.

Young Anna Trocker at her Olympic debut. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

Nadia Delago started alongside Giada d'Antonio, the 16-year-old prodigy from Naples. After finishing 20th in the downhill, d'Antonio was eliminated in the slalom after just a few gates – as was comeback skier Petra Vlhova. There had been controversy beforehand surrounding the participation of the young Azzurra d'Antonio.

The fourth Italian duo, Sofia Goggia and Lara Della Mea, didn't even compete in the slalom, as Goggia crashed during the downhill. The bronze medalist from Sunday, however, remained uninjured. The women's ski competition continues in Cortina on Thursday with the Super-G.