World’s best Alpine skiers reveal how they are spending time before racing resumes

After the intensity of the opening weekend of Audi FIS World Cup racing in Sölden last month the world’s finest Alpine skiers have embraced the opportunities and, in some cases challenges, of another break in action before competition restarts.

From vacation time to training time, it is somewhat of a jigsaw puzzle with a lengthy season ahead for all. And while the speed specialists may be tempted by more time with their feet up, the tech titans cannot stop their focus from drifting northbound, with the traditional opening Slaloms taking place above the Arctic Circle, in Levi, Finland, 14-15 November.

Here we peel back the curtain and reveal what some of the sport’s biggest superstars are up to before they once again strap on the race skis:

For Paula Moltzan (USA/Van Deer), fresh off her first career World Cup victory, it’s been all about heading home to Waitsfield, Vermont, and plotting her next step.

“I’m home, back to Vermont for eight days and then we’ll actually come back to ski here in Sölden, and maybe to Gurgl for training if we’re lucky, and then it’s up to Levi for the World Cup,” Moltzan revealed.

While the current GS standings leader can focus on the shorter skis, it is a little bit more complicated for last year’s Big Globe runner-up. Emma Aicher (GER/Head) enjoyed an auspicious start in Austria, charging from ninth place after run one to land on the podium in third. But the versatile 22-year-old has to keep switching gears.

All cool for easy-going Vikings

Flexibility is key too for another of last season’s stars.

“I'll stay here (Sölden) looking at some Super G training, but that’s only for me because none of the other tech team guys are doing speed, so they’ll go home while I stay and train,” Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/Head) explained.

The Norwegian is coming off a strong season in which he captured his first World Cup Slalom title and finished sixth in the GS standings. Both disciplines remain high priority, but plans do depend on what the weather gods have in mind.

“I'll probably do a few days indoors at SNØ, because it actually matches the (Levi) World Cup slope,” McGrath said about the year-round training facility located in Akershus, just outside Oslo.

“The indoor skiing there is very similar to the top of Levi. The snow is cold there, so that will be good. I'll probably have a week at home with a little bit more training too. Then, we normally head up north for training in Levi, but this year it’s warm, so plans are a little loose – this time of year you need to stay flexible.

“It’s nice to take a step away from racing and focus on training. If the next race was next weekend, it would kind of suck – I’m happy that we have this three-week break.”

McGrath’s veteran teammate Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Head), who has amassed 26 Slalom and eight GS World Cup victories so far, is equally chilled.

“It’s a pretty big gap, so I’ll go home for a week and then train for two weeks,” says Kristoffersen. “You get excited, fired up, and rolling (racing in Sölden), and then you have this pretty long break. For me, it’s fine, but I feel a little sorry for the service guys and coaches who have to drive everywhere to prepare skis, (go to) different hills, and everything else leading to Levi.”

Swiss precision scheduling weeks ahead

Rival Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol) is tactically planning his course ahead, following a magical last 12 months during which he won three medals at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics, including gold in Slalom. The mark of consistency, Meillard has finished in the top 10 of both the GS and Slalom standings in each of the past six seasons.

“It's good to have some time, especially if you had a good result in Sölden, as you're like ‘OK, we're ready and now it will be a bit easier,’” said Meillard, who finished second in the season-opening GS in Austria. “This first week we’ll take a little break, do some dryland training and fitness. The next week is a few days of skiing, training, a few days off, and then we’ll fly to Levi to prepare for the race.”

A seismic shift for Shiffrin

After more than a decade following the same schedule post Sölden, no one has branched out more than six-time Overall World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic).

Considering the Colorado skier’s new gameplan and “season of exploration,” she will skip the Levi Slalom that she has dominated for the first time in her career. As a result, the most successful Slalom skier of all time will have a lengthy five-week break from competition, before she resumes racing in Killington, 28-29 November.

‘Cowgirl’ days ahead in Colorado

Shiffrin is not the only one relishing time in Colorado. Last season’s surprise World Cup downhill champion Laura Pirovano (ITA/Head) is also eying up the mountainous US state, as she continues to enjoy an extended break following her efforts in the GS in Sölden.

The 28-year-old speed specialist intends to compete in the GS once more in Killington and Mount Tremblant (5-6 December). However, her discipline title defence won’t officially begin until Beaver Creek, on 11 December, with the Downhill season kicking off on American snow.

“We hope to have some good downhill training in Copper as we’ll be there from 9 November, before refocusing on GS, and then to Beaver Creek,” Pirovano shared, before adding with a smile; “I’m a bit of a cowgirl, so being in Colorado is amazing. It’s beautiful and we always have a lot of fun there.”