Olympic Alpine Skiing

One point is all that separates Frida Hansdotter and Mikaela Shiffrin at the top of the FIS World Cup slalom standings.

The narrow margin is an apt indicator of the compelling nature of the 2014-15 season, five races in to the discipline's nine-date programme. It's an unfolding story that extends beyond the performances of these two women and promises an equally entertaining bonus in the form of February's World Championships.

Shiffrin has enjoyed a timely, hard-fought resurgence over the turn of the year.

The reigning Olympic, World Cup and World Championships title holder in slalom had been without a first-place finish in the event all season (though her increased focus on the giant slalom had proved a little kinder). She narrowly missed out on the top 10 at Levi but improved to fifth and then fourth in Aspen and Are, respectively.

Off the back of four slalom wins out of five available at the start of 2014—Sochi included—it was a disappointing return for the teenager. Shiffrin's exceptional previous success in the sport made her getting stuck in a rut seem unlikely, though. Crucially, the clear line of progress into winter gave her something encouraging to work with even as others grabbed wins.

With another GS podium secured the previous day (her second), the American's slalom efforts paid off at Kuehai in Tirol a couple days before the calendar closed on '14. The leader from the first run, Shiffrin held off Sarka Strachova (Czech Republic) in second and Wendy Holdener (Switzerland) in third to record that elusive win with an overall time of 1:43.39.

"Overall it's a great weekend with two podiums," Shiffrin said post-race, per the FIS' official website. "I feel like I am getting my slalom back, so I'm really excited. However it's not necessarily the best projector of what the next races will be. So I have to keep working."

Evidently she did because this past Sunday she secured first again at Zagreb-Sljeme, retaining the Croatian event's Snow Queen crown after her previous success there in 2013.

The seventh out of the gate, Shiffrin's time of 56.88 seconds went ahead of then-leader Kathrin Zettel by -0.80. A late mistake threatened to derail her clearly fast attack down the mountain. But in a recovery which brought to mind a similarly impressive feat from the Aspen GS, she rectified her stance before any harm was done.

The second run saw Shiffrin comfortably ski to a winning time of 1:56.66, a good second and a half faster than the nearest-placed Zettel.

"For the first time in my career, I just feel like I am in complete control of myself," Shiffrin told The Associated Press afterward (h/t The New York Times), going on to credit a December training camp in Italy for her successful recent spark.

She continued, per The Associated Press report:

I feel really comfortable on my feet right now after a lot of testing in Santa Caterina but also really great training. I have started off really great with my career but I am hoping to keep improving...I feel like I am in a really great place right now.

There are challengers to that feeling and Shiffrin's continued rewriting of the slalom record books (the latest victory saw her surpass Lise-Marie Morerod and equal Hanni Wenzel to go eighth in wins). But with Austrian great Marlies Schild's retirement last summer, it is not yet apparent if anyone else has the talent and ability to consistently apply it in frequently challenging the young star. For the World Cup title, for World Championships gold in Vail, or both.

The versatile Tina Maze—winner in Levi—is certainly capable. The Slovenian's understandable main priority, though, is the World Cup overall competition, which she currently leads (and Shiffrin sits second). Something reflected in her steady, but somewhat restrained fifth-place showing in Croatia on the weekend.

The Austrian Zettel has only failed to make the top 10 once this season and has secured three podium places herself. A silver medalist in slalom at the 2011 World Championships, she is definitely capable of winning on her day. As too are the Swedish pair of Maria Pietilae-Holmner and Hansdotter.

Pietilae-Holmner (bronze in the aforementioned Garmisch-Partenkirchen Worlds) won on home snow in Are but has been unable to repeat since then. A presence on the podium up until Kuehtai in Tirol, the World Cup leader Hansdotter's second consecutive fourth in Zagreb has come at a bad time with Shiffrin beginning to excel.

Others like Nicole Hosp and the earlier mentioned, former world slalom champion Strachova (increasingly and happily getting back to pre-brain surgery form) will also hope to stake their own claims for success. A relative outsider like Loeseth—fresh from her first ever World Cup podium—will be keen to join the elite.

Four World Cup slalom races and the World Championships run remain ahead in slalom. Shiffrin may be on track to repeat the victories of years past. But whether her dominance prevails or others make the second half of the season as tough as the first, plenty of brilliant skiing thankfully awaits.

The ski racing community is mourning the loss of two young racers. http://t.co/L9FZcFZy5c pic.twitter.com/ZRsJQ9Ws2F

— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) January 5, 2015

The Alpine skiing community is in mourning this week after American development-level ski racers Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle were killed by an avalanche in Soelden.

Their peer Shiffrin was among those to pay tribute in an eloquent, emotional post on social media.

I’d like to ask you, wherever you are, to take a moment of silence for the lives of these boys who died yesterday, and their families, though you may not know them personally. The ski community is small, and it is important that we stick together.

The early speed events of the men's FIS World Cup season have been an absorbing reminder of just about any competitor's ability to progress in the right situation.

The injury-enforced absences of reigning downhill and super-G titleholder Aksel Lund Svindal, as well as other discipline stalwarts like Erik Guay and Bode Miller, meant there would be room for others to shine. Those skiers to have particularly capitalised, though not without previous, have done so in a fashion which might have been less likely otherwise.

With the World Championships in February and—even sooner—the traditional season landmarks of the Wengen and Kitzbuehel downhill races looming ahead, even greater opportunities to expand on positive starts to 2014-15, and achieve notable career breakthroughs, await.

First World Cup win!!!! Stoked to be able to say that!! @americadhll @squawalpine @atomic usskiteam… http://t.co/Kb3vlNosvC

— Travis Ganong (@TravisGanong) December 28, 2014

Sunday's first run for the men on the Deborah Compagnoni slope in Santa Caterina (for which the starting point was lowered because of higher winds further up the mountain) was taken by a first-time winner. Travis Ganong made it two downhill victories in a row for the U.S. Ski team after Steven Nyman's similar success on Italian snow a week earlier in a notably grueling day's work at Val Gardena/Groeden (most who finished were doubled over in exhaustion by the time they crossed the finish line). The latter has a particular affinity for the venue—it has been the stage for all three of the 32-year-old's World Cup wins.

The 26-year-old Ganong's own career has been a slow burn, a testament to the rewards of patience. Not one of his sport's more precocious athletes, 2014 has seen lessons learned in previous years translated into podium-bothering performances.

Fifth place in the Olympic downhill at Sochi was quickly followed by his first World Cup podium in the same event at Kvitfjell later in February. As the calendar turned to March, the Californian took a commendable fifth at the same venue the following day. He finished the season ninth in the downhill standings.

The kick-start to this fledgling campaign for both Ganong and his veteran teammate Nyman (without a win of his own since late 2012) came at the second downhill race of the season at Beaver Creek. Fifth and third place, respectively, set the tone for their glorious Christmas week a month later. Coupled with the Lindsey Vonn-led speed success enjoyed by the women, the U.S. Ski team look in good shape for February's Vail-hosted World Championships.

Unsurprisingly, both Ganong and Nyman have talked up their hopes to ski well in front of a supportive crowd.

"I really want to peak for world champs—that's the one race this year that I want to be ready for, so it's all just building to there," Ganong told USA Today's Brian Pinelli.

"Having Worlds at Beaver Creek is huge," Nyman agreed. "Getting my friends and family out there will be a lot of fun and I know that I can perform on that track."

Even accounting for the seeds sowed by the U.S. pair throughout the year (perhaps to result in an even greater harvest soon enough, particularly from the younger Ganong), their success feels more akin to the delightful, often thrilling one-off surprises Alpine skiing offers. The ones which, cherished for their rarity, keep more established winners on their toes.

Albeit coming from different places themselves, at this stage Italy's Dominik Paris and Norway's Kjetil Jansrud feel more like the men set to define downhill and super-G this season.

Paris has yet to follow up his first career win in the Lake Louise downhill from November 2013. A top-five finisher in all seven of this season's speed events, though, the fifth-year World Cup racer's form suggests he could be primed for a landmark victory on the famous slopes of Lauberhorn or Hahnenkamm in January.

A single place in front of Paris in the downhill leaderboard and two in the super-G and overall tables, Jansrud's four victories (two apiece in the aforementioned disciplines) and two second-place finishes have established the Norwegian as the man to beat.

Jansrud will have been as sick as most in the sport were he to see his compatriot Svindal's year as disrupted as severely as it was. Nonetheless, off the back of his super-G Olympic gold and first World Cup victories for two years at Kvitfjell, the prolific Svindal's absence has worked in the former's favour.

Since he secured the Lake Louise downhill in electrifying style—his time narrowly held off the later charges of joint second-place Manny Osborne-Paradis (Canada) and Guillermo Fayed (France)—he has hit some extraordinary heights.

"It is an amazing feeling to come down, turn around and see the green light on the scoreboard yet again," Jansrud told the official FIS website after winning the Val Gardena/Groeden super-G on December 20. "You always want to win, fight every day, always attack. And somehow this year I seem to succeed in being at the top in every race. It’s almost unreal and surrealistic."

A surprise 12th place last weekend in Santa Caterina slowed the 29-year-old's gathering momentum just a bit, though.

What goes up, must come down. Today was a rough day at work. As said before: Lot's of great skiers out there. One mistake and you are gone.

— Kjetil Jansrud (@Kjansrud) December 28, 2014

Disappointed as Jansrud was, the setback could prove a valuable reminder of the need to remain focused.

Technical specialist Marcel Hirscher is only 46 points behind in the overall competition. His Austrian teammates have served notice of their intent, too.

One of the sport's most consistent podium placers, Hannes Reichelt won the Beaver Creek super-G to confirm his return to full fitness following last February's season-ending injury. Meanwhile, Olympic downhill champion Matthias Mayer took second behind Ganong on Sunday. Both will have their eye on moving up the World Cup tables, while Wengen, Kitzbuehel (which also include combined races) and the Worlds hold obvious attraction.

There is also the prospect of the return of the absentees listed at the start of this article.

Svindal (who recently took an extra-curricular visit to Silicon Valley) making it back at all is a long shot. Guay and Miller are expected to return from surgery in the New Year, however, and will be keen to make up for lost time as soon as possible.

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It is often referred to as "Lake Lindsey" for a reason. The Canadian ski venue, more commonly known as Lake Louise, had been host to 14 of Lindsey Vonn's previous 59 World Cup victories.

A fortnight ago, the American added No. 15 of 60 in the second of that weekend's downhill races. A day earlier, she finished eighth in her first competitive skiing in nearly a year. A day later, the former World and Olympic champion finished second to Lara Gut in the weekend-concluding super-G.

Tomorrow's Cover: @lindseyvonn back in the winner's circle as she tops downhill competition in Lake Louise, Alberta. pic.twitter.com/5jKtJ1Db7K

— Vail Daily (@VailDaily) December 7, 2014

It all combined for a successful comeback for Vonn (which included a first-ever American podium clean sweep on the day of her downhill win, with Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso just behind her) which has instantly added an edge to the fledgling season.

Her first attempted return from knee problems in 2013 was not without its bright points—she finished what looked an encouraging fifth place in the Lake Louise super-G. However, Vonn admitted in a recent blog for The Red Bulletin that, compared to her current state, she never quite felt right previously:

At this time last year at Lake Louise I was in a completely different position. I had a blown-out knee, and was trying to race, hoping I could still go to the Olympics. I was pushing myself beyond my physical limits and felt my confidence deteriorating. I wasn’t focusing on my skiing; I was focusing on my knee and worrying if and when it would give out. It was wobbly and unstable, but I couldn’t admit to anyone, even myself, how serious it was because I wanted to get to Sochi so badly.

Disappointed as she was to ultimately miss out on the Winter Olympics, the 30-year-old believes the experience at least informed her approach to getting it right this time. We will get our next look at her progress this weekend in Val d'Isere as the women take on the downhill and super-G.

In a press conference earlier this week—via the FIS' official website—Vonn described the first Lake Louise downhill earlier this month as "roughly what I expected." Her initial reaction as she eyed her time of 1:51.83 betrayed a hint of disappointment, though, even if she rightly understood she deserved to be pleased with the performance.

The delight she displayed when she skied into the top spot a day later—a beaming smile as she collapsed happily to the ground shouting, "yes!"—suggested the familiar, intoxicating feeling of a job well done was much more like it for Vonn. A degree of patience must still be exhibited with this ongoing comeback, but combined with the super-G runner-up spot that followed, the indications are Vonn is already back at a highly competitive level.

In the context of an already exciting season, that could be brilliant news for ski fans.

In regards to the overall World Cup standings, the pace has been well and truly set by Tina Maze this season. The Slovenian has three victories in three different disciplines, not to mention another couple of podium places. Heading into the weekend, that has left her 257 points ahead of the nearest place challenger, the current holder of the big crystal globe, Anna Fenninger.

The Austrian might prove to be the best challenger to Maze's early lead if she can replicate her excellent late run of form from last season (built upon consistent podium places from earlier on). But now fully focused in the way coaching issues denied her the chance to be during a tumultuous spell a year ago, the versatile Maze could be be set for a repeat of her extraordinary 2013 season when she was not lower than second in any discipline and won World Championships gold in super-G.

In the aforementioned press conference, Vonn revealed she plans to ski giant slalom in 2015, though slalom was likely to be off the table. That comparative tentativeness to the full-on Maze might deny the U.S. star the chance to secure a fifth overall title. The prospect of two of the sport's best directly facing off for other honours is very much alive, however.

Both share first place in the downhill standings, albeit after just one weekend of speed events. That contest could gather further momentum in France this week. With the upcoming Worlds in Vonn's hometown, Vail, the gold rush in Colorado should see her and her closest rivals at the forefront, too (though the Olympics proved such one-off events can be subject to more surprising victors).

Vonn and Maze are not the only names worth talking about, of course. Fenninger and Austrian team-mate Eva-Maria Brem have begun 2014-15 brightly. Others ranging from Mikaela Shiffrin to Sweden's Maria Pietilae-Holmner and Frida Hansdotter have contributed to the season's unfolding story with their own notable mixed fortunes.

Gut joined Maze and Vonn headlining the pre-Val d'Isere press conference this week, a result of the Swiss' own campaign kicking into gear with the Lake Louise super-G win. She holds the title in that discipline, and having pipped her last time out will be among the obstacles to Vonn pulling closer to Annemarie Moser-Proll's World Cup win number of 62, as tallied by the FIS.

Selfie at press conference in #Valdisere with @Laragut & @lindseyvonn pic.twitter.com/udeWd113BT

— Tina Maze (@TinaMaze) December 18, 2014

Vonn has had mixed success at Val d'Isere. She has won there five times, including two downhills, but it was at the French resort in 2013 where her Olympic hopes were ended.

Whatever she does this weekend, it is good to have her back.

The Alpine skiing season gets underway this weekend in Soelden, Austria with the first two World Cup races of 2014-15. The women compete in the giant slalom on Saturday, the men take their turn a day later.

"Today I'm switching into race mode," Overall winner @MarcelHirscher says when asked about whether he is ready for the new season.

— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) October 24, 2014

Scheduled to begin his attempt at winning a fourth consecutive overall World Cup title is Austria's own Marcel Hirscher. As has been pointed out in just about any detailed mention of the 25-year-old this autumn, that would make him the first man to achieve the feat.

The unfortunate, likely season-ending injury to his main challenger in recent years for the big crystal globe, Aksel Lund Svindal, has increased the chances of Hirscher staying on top.

No one skier has matched the Norwegian for consistency in the downhill and super G these last couple of years. While someone taking on his mantle in the speed categories is possible, at this early stage it leaves his Austrian rival looking to the men who regularly challenge him in his preferred technical events.

The 25-year-old's success has been founded on trademark brilliance in the technical disciplines—repeated slalom successes have been augmented by successive second-place finishes in the FIS' giant slalom competition. Given Hirscher is not the sport's main man working his way between the wider gates, he has done well to keep himself motivated to a standard in which he still often makes the podium to record valuable World Cup points (he finished in the top three in GS six times last season, two of which were on the top spot).

His chief adversary in the GS has been Ted Ligety. The American has moved back ahead in the GS elite since Hirscher won the event's globe in 2012, underlining his superiority here with gold medals in two World Championships, as well as the Winter Olympics. He will be favourite to win for a fourth time in Soelden on Sunday too.

Despite his World Cup successes and a 2013 World Championships gold in slalom, Hirscher has not been immune to setbacks there either. His disappointed reaction after being pipped to first place by compatriot Mario Matt at Sochi this year saw him criticised at home, as he told the New York Times' Kelley McMillan this week.

"When you have a dream that you’ve had your whole life and you’re that close to reaching it, it’s for sure a disappointment, but only for the first, I don’t know, 120 seconds," Hirscher reflected. "And that was when all the cameras were on my face."

The Austrian was not alone in suffering such a visible Olympic disappointment. Switzerland's Lara Gut reacted similarly after being edged out of gold in the downhill by Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze.

These moments are inevitable, of course. Yet it speaks to the quality Hirscher has mostly sustained that we are surprised when things do not quite go to plan (though Olympic silver is not too shabby).

Crucially, he appears to have retained a healthy attitude to the task at hand. One that—as he told the Times' McMillan—acknowledges there is more to life than skiing, but also understands improvement remains key to staying among the best. "I am always trying to get better, no matter what I am doing," he said to Red Bull Snow's Riikka Rakic. "If I’m not improving, I am standing still."

Trying to get ahead of him this year in slalom—both in the World Cup season and February's Vail-hosted World Championships—will be last season's second-place man Felix Neureuther. The German was ahead of him in the standings heading into finals week in Lenzerheide and will be keen to take that step further.

The progress of Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen will eagerly be noted too. The then-teenager pipped Hirscher at the famous night race in Schladming to record his first World Cup win, and ended the season third in the overall standings.

As NBC Sports' Nick Zaccardi put it in February, "Mikaela Shiffrin isn’t the only teenage slalom phenom." Kristoffersen's precociousness is expected to come even more to the fore soon enough.

#Soelden is a winter wonderland! What a difference a week makes. Racing this weekend! http://t.co/S7APXRtIiB

— Ted Ligety (@tedligety) October 23, 2014

The aforementioned Ligety should be Hirscher's main obstacle to winning titles in giant slalom. The 30-year-old told the Associated Press, via Canada.com, he would like to be a foil to Hirscher for the overall crown too.

"If I keep the giant slalom going as it has been and get a little more consistent in super-G and slalom, maybe I have a chance," Ligety said on the eve of Soelden. "Marcel is just so strong in (slalom and GS) and really doesn’t have any lapses in races result-wise. That makes it very tough to compete with him."

Also in contention for the whole thing is France's Alexis Pinturault, third in that overall hunt in 2014.

Thus far, GS has been Pinturault's main area of expertise. There he finished third in the World Cup too in 2014, and also secured Olympic bronze. A season-ending super G win in Lenzerheide has contributed to hopes his winning range will soon be expanded even further, though he has been quick to play down expectations.

"To win the overall is not yet a goal because it is really difficult to say at the beginning of the winter how fast you are compared to the others, but I am prepared for it," the 23-year-old told the official FIS website. "I will for sure try my best but with all the really good guys around, it will be not be easy."

There lies the potential thrill of Hirscher remaining king of the hill come the start of next spring. If he has stayed there in the face of all these attempts on his lofty position, it will not have been easy.

As is the norm for many athletes these days, Alpine skiers from the World Cup circuit have been sharing their offseason exploits on social media.

Holidays, sightseeing, family time, promotional work, awards shows and more latterly preparation for the upcoming season—it is all there documented in photos, posts and videos.

For 2014 World Cup downhill winner and Winter Olympic combined gold medalist Maria Hoefl-Riesch, there has been a more relaxed air, even a valedictory quality to her contributions. As pictured below, she was asked to ceremonially carry the trophy onto the pitch ahead of the German Cup final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund:

That is in part because this past March, the 29-year-old announced her decision to retire from skiing. Speaking to the official website of the International Ski Federation (FIS), she said:

The decision has been made: I'm finishing my career as an active skier.

I gave everything I had for another Olympic medal, I worked hard to fulfill this dream again. It went well in the super combined in Sochi, and this was a big relief for me. The decision was not easy but I am of the opinion you should stop when you are at your best.

Hoefl-Riesch performed at a high level right through to the end of her final season; in addition to her Sochi success she won three times in the World Cup. But for her downhill crash during World Cup Finals week in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, she might have added a second overall title to her considerable CV (her first coming in 2011).

As a result of Hoefl-Riesch's absence from the remainder of the week's racing, Austria's Anna Fenninger was able to secure enough points to take the prestigious crystal globe for the women's overall.

Coinciding with Hoefl-Riesch's retirement and the injury-exacerbated struggle of Lindsey Vonn—her closest rival in recent years—to return to full fitness, Fenninger's success has led the charge of several younger competitors working to the top of the sport.

Second in the downhill and super-G standings and first in the giant slalom, except for the aforementioned German Fenninger was as consistent as they came in 2013-14.

Early season podium places and a second consecutive year-ending win in the GS (this time on home snow in Lienz) established a base of form on which the 25-year-old built in impressive style from the Winter Olympics onward.

In Russia at the Games, Fenninger secured downhill bronze, giant slalom silver and super-G gold in between. After that, a second-place finish in the Crans Montana downhill set her up nicely for the second place in those standings which she would secure in Lenzerheide in March.

Most notably, successive GS victories in the Swedish resort in Are proved crucial in Fenninger beating Jessica Lindell-Vikarby to top spot by the close of play in Switzerland.

A 2011 world champion in the super combined, Fenninger was not without previous achievement. But having again upped her number of wins for a single season, 2014 could come to be regarded as a breakthrough year.

As already noted, the Austrian was not alone in this regard among the younger generation. In the speed events, Lara Gut and Tina Weirather featured prominently among the higher placings, significantly improving on their previous efforts in World Cup competition too.

Injury decimated the last two months of the season for Liechtenstein's Weirather, though she still finished third in the super-G standings, two places behind Gut. Speaking of whom, the Swiss began the year excellently and finished it just as strongly. Taking seven World Cup victories and a downhill bronze in Sochi, her bigger aims were only let down by a slightly stuttering midseason.

Then there is Mikaela Shiffrin.

Already a world and Olympic champion in slalom by the age of 19, in March she took a second World Cup title in a row in the discipline. Now improvements in the giant slalom are being parlayed into a gradual move into the speed events.

"I like speed a lot," Shiffrin told the New York Times' Kelley McMillan in March. "I’ve done it quite a bit, just not at this level." Her mother and coach Eileen Shiffrin added: "Super-G is totally a logical transition for someone Mikaela’s age. It’s a crossover with GS"

For those unfamiliar, McMillian's piece offers a further explanation of the basics of the transition Shiffrin Jr. will undertake. Essentially, though, it has a good chance of sticking given how good she has already proven to be. For now, the American's current focus at training camp in New Zealand is in the technical disciplines in which she has made her name.

Change may be in the air on the slopes of Europe and North America, but only to an extent. For all the promise shown—and increasingly being substantiated—by the aforementioned names, those closer to or over 30 are still firmly in the discussion for honours. Age is but a number, after all.

Speaking to Today.com's Vidya Rao last December, Shiffrin scoffed at descriptions of her being "the new Lindsey Vonn," stating "she’s not even really close to done. Let her have her success and let me have my own—just call me Mikaela Shiffrin."

Vonn would subsequently require further surgery on the knee injury she suffered the previous February and missed the Olympics. But Shiffrin's sentiment about her team-mate was a smart one even prior to then. Although challenges await, it would be foolish to write off someone as successful and determined as Vonn.

Among those also attempting to ensure the sport's emerging stars do not have it all their own way will be Slovenia's Tina Maze.

The 31-year-old won gold in the GS and downhill at Sochi (the latter shared with Dominique Gisin). After changing coaches during the season, Maze will surely aim for a less eventful time in the hope she might replicate her outstanding 2013 run of success.

The Swede Lindell-Vikarby, America's Julia Mancuso and Austrians Elisabeth Goergl and Marlies Schild all had their moments last year too. Schild owns the record for most World Cup slalom wins and seems just about the only woman capable of slowing Shiffrin's run of success there.

The World Cup season starts for the women on Saturday, October 25 with a giant slalom run in Soeldon, Austria. The World Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek, rather than the Olympics, are this year's auxiliary objective.

With Hoefl-Riesch gone there is a little extra room for someone to earn some success. Some of the younger competitors on the women's circuit will be planning to use it to cement their own credentials.

They have shown they are capable of doing it. The excitement lies in seeing just how the older guard respond.

The sight of Mario Matt successfully navigating the twists and turns of the Rosa Khutor slalom course last Saturday will be the last Alpine skiing many watch for a while. Such is the significance and grand scale of the Winter Olympics—it cannot help but have a finale quality about it.

Of course, for those eager for more, that was not the last glimpse of world-class skiing this winter. The FIS World Cup season is far from over, with the latest meets taking place this weekend in Crans-Montana, Switzerland (women) and Kvitfjell, Norway (men).

As noted by Olympic super combined bronze medalist Julia Mancuso, for many of the stars of Sochi it has been a whirlwind week:

For medalists especially, getting in the right frame of mind after the jubilation that comes from success on such a big stage could potentially be tricky. For most, though, professionalism will be the order of the day with targets still to be achieved.

Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch (main picture, above)—Olympic gold and silver medalist in the super combined and super-G, respectively—has a chance to seal the ladies' downhill title this weekend. With closest challenger Tina Weirather's season coming to an injury-enforced end, Hoefl-Riesch will certainly not want to rest on her laurels with further accomplishments within reach.

Having never previously won the downhill title, it would be a notable career landmark for the 29-year-old. One that, with just three race weekends remaining, would also stand her in good stead for the overall competition she currently tops (with Weirather injured, third placed Anna Fenninger is her last likely obstacle there).

Olympic medals mean different things for different competitors within their overall ambitions.

For the likes of Sandro Viletta (gold in the men's super combined) and Andrew Weibrecht (silver in the super-G), they were well-deserved, but undeniably surprise successes from skiers who rarely make a peep on the World Cup circuit.

For Lara Gut of Switzerland, one of the rising stars of the sport, her bronze medal in the Olympic downhill was tinged with disappointment. Though overcoming her initial frustration...:

...the 22-year-old was still admittedly gutted at knowing that a slightly improved run would probably have seen her win a race so tightly contested that there were two gold medalists.

"It's the first time that I saw that gold medal so close and I'm sorry for my mistake," Gut said on her official Facebook page. "But to be on the Downhill podium at the Olympics with such great athletes as Tina (Maze) and Dominique (Gisin) make me proud!"

Gut will want to add to her five World Cup wins already this season. Based on her putting in the fastest downhill training run at Crans-Montana on Thursday, she seems motivated.

In the past, Olympic champions and medalists have certainly responded differently to getting back to work.

Following Turin 2006, Janica Kostelic proved her determination had not diminished following her combined gold in Italy. The Croatian great took a four more wins that season, sealing the combined, slalom and overall titles in the process.

American star Lindsey Vonn followed suit four years later after her downhill victory in Vancouver. A further downhill win (funnily enough, also in Crans-Montana, the last time the women raced there) and a super-G win in Garmisch, Germany, helped her win the titles in both those disciplines in a season she also took the overall and combined crowns.

Naturally, the remaining World Cup weeks are not just about those who took home a new addition for their trophy cabinet.

Plenty of others will be looking to finish the season on a high after lows in Sochi. Perhaps none more so than Aksel Lund Svindal.

The Norwegian failed to build on his steady form prior to heading to Russia and left the Games early without a medal. With the overall, downhill and super-G titles still within reach (he currently leads the latter two tables), Svindal can still make 2014 a year to remember.

The glitz and glamour of the Winter Olympics may be in storage for another four years, but there is still plenty of great racing ahead before the skis, goggles and assorted gear go away for the spring too.

Ted Ligety stumbled through the slalom as if he was blindfolded on Saturday, closing out the U.S. Alpine team's Sochi experience on a down note.

But considering that before the Games began, the squad lost arguably the world's best female skier, Lindsey Vonn, to injury, this was an overall strong Olympics for U.S. skiing, particularly in comparison to how Americans performed in some of the other traditional Winter Olympics sports.

Julia Mancuso and Bode Miller each won bronze. For Miller, it was likely a farewell medal, and the emotions he showed while speaking of his late brother Chelone left us with totally different feelings about the 36-year-old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIn3_g6sozM

"It's tough to have my last race here look like that, with the bronze," he told reporters in Sochi. "But I feel really good about where I am. I feel like I did my best. I came out with a medal, so I'm happy." 

When he was Turin's party boy in 2006, Miller was the subject mostly of criticism. Now he leaves the sport worthy of admiration and sympathy.

Ligety brings home gold in the giant slalom, and 18-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin earned a gold medal in slalom as the youngest winner ever at the Olympics in that event. 

Andrew Weibrecht was a name we hadn't heard much of, but he collected silver in the men's super-G.

So just imagine if Vonn had been healthy and skiing in the dominant way she had been before she tore up her knee a year ago.

The U.S. finished with eight Alpine medals four years ago in Vancouver, and two of them belonged to Vonn who, before her knee surgery, was expected to win at least two more in Sochi and maybe three.

As it was, the U.S. team ended up with five overall in these Games. 

With that haul, the Alpine team stands out as the best that the U.S. had to offer in traditional sports.

The U.S. cleaned up in all those new, crazy slope and board sports, but in the ones that those of us over a certain age are used to—speedskating, figure skating, hockey, cross-country skiing—there wasn't much celebrating. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvTmZ_ly9Zw

Four years from now, it could be better. Vonn should be healthy. She told NBC host Matt Lauer that she plans to ski in four years:

After making the decision not to compete in Sochi, I've actually committed myself to racing through to the next Olympics. I'm very motivated. I have a lot to accomplish still, and I'm going to take my time. I felt a little bit rushed last time, trying to be back and ready for Sochi, but I'm not going to probably ski until October. I'm going to be racing next year and the year after that and the year after that. 

With or without Vonn, the U.S. could have a good base of Alpine skiers just based on who medaled in Sochi. Yes, Miller will be gone, but Ligety and Mancuso are only 29 years old, and Weibrecht is 28.

And then there's Shiffrin.

"So right now I'm dreaming of the next Olympics, winning five gold medals," she told reporters in Sochi. "Which sounds really crazy. Sorry I just admitted that to you all." 

Diane Pucin is the Olympics lead writer for Bleacher Report. She covered eight Games for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times. You can follow her on Twitter @mepucin.

Mario Matt of Austria leads the men's slalom pack after the competition's first run. Andre Myhrer of Sweden sits in second place while countryman Mattias Hargin and Italy's Stefano Gross are tied for third heading into the final run.

The men's slalom event marks the last competition for alpine skiers in Sochi as the 2014 Winter Olympics continue to wind down. Austria leads the way with seven medals in the sport and Matt has them in great position to grab at least one more in the finale.

With that in mind, let's check out how the leaderboard stacks up after the first runs. The skiers will take to the slalom course again and the top three combined times after the second run will earn a trip to the podium.

Men's Slalom Run 1 Results

Rank	Athlete	Country	Time
1	Mario Matt	AUT	46.70
2	Andre Myhrer	SWE	47.15
T-3	Mattias Hargin	SWE	47.45
T-3	Stefano Gross	ITA	47.45
5	Jean-Baptiste Grange	FRA	47.47
6	Ted Ligety	USA	47.56
7	Felix Neureuther	GER	47.57
8	Alexis Pinturault	FRA	47.78
9	Marcel Hirscher	AUT	47.98
10	Markus Larsson	SWE	48.04

For a full list of times for all 117 competitors, visit the Sochi Olympics' official site.

Recap

Most of the top contenders in the discipline were located near the front of the starting order for the first run. There's very little waiting around. Instead, it's crucial to go out early and lay down a great run to put pressure on the other competitors.

Matt did exactly that. He was the third skier out of the gate and put himself nearly a half-second clear of Myhrer. Despite there being several other medal hopefuls taking to the course after his run, nobody got any closer to the lead.

As the NBC Gold Zone noted, it's just the second Olympic appearance for the 34-year-old veteran. He's been a constant presence in the World Cup events over the years, however, and won two gold medals at the World Championships in the discipline.

Hargin was sandwiched between Matt and Myhrer in the second starting position and also laid down a strong first run. He, along with every other skier in the chase pack with a realistic medal chance, will need the Austrian to struggle in the second run to have a chance at gold, though.

He's currently tied in third place with Stefano Gross. The Italian had the latest starting position of anybody ranked into the top 10. He came out of the gates 17th, but put together a really strong, mistake-free effort to get into medal contention.

Rounding out the top five is Jean-Baptiste Grange of France. He was the world champion in the slalom in 2011 and won the discipline in World Cup competition in 2009. His results had dropped off a bit over the past couple years, but he showed no signs of that on his first run.

The top American skier after the opening round is unsurprisingly Ted Ligety. Coming off his gold-medal performance in the giant slalom, he skied his way into sixth place heading into the second run. He's certainly within striking distance of another podium.

Scott Stump of Today provided comments Ligety made in an interview with Matt Lauer after capturing his second career Olympic gold. He talked about the relief he felt after overcoming some lackluster results earlier in the Games:

It was definitely worth the wait. It was pretty nerve-wracking, though, especially (because) my first two events here didn't go all that great. I was hoping to try to medal in those as well. The giant slalom I always knew was my bread and butter, so to get that one is a really, really big relief.

Having already won that event, eliminating the pressure of returning home without a medal, he can ski freely in the second run. Perhaps take a couple extra chances in order to make a serious push toward the top. He's currently a shade under nine-tenths of a second off the pace.

The only other athlete within a second of the leader is Felix Neureuther. This is his third Olympic appearance for Germany and he's still looking for his first medal.

Alexis Pinturault and Marcel Hirscher are each over a second back, but neither race can be counted out. They were both viewed as serious medal contenders heading into the event and can still reach the podium with a strong second run.

Of the 117 competitors in the event, only 77 were able to complete the first run successfully. The others either didn't start or didn't finish the tricky slalom course in Sochi.

Looking ahead, Matt should be extremely happy with the results of the first run. By giving himself such a sizable lead, he will have a little more margin for error heading into the final round. He won't have to take as many risks as his fellow competitors, either.

Assuming he doesn't fall or otherwise make a huge mistake to eliminate himself from contention, he should take home the gold. The race for the other two podium spots should be a lot more intense with at least eight contenders for the two medals.

Current Medal Count