Petra Vlhová has two slaloms in Levi. Since when doesn’t he train with Shiffrin? – SME.sk

BRATISLAVA, LEVI. When Petra Vlhová won both World Cup slaloms in Levi last year, she was praised by the entire ski world.

“Vlhová cannot be defeated in Levi,” wrote the portal of the Austrian public television ORF.

“The Slovak underlines her exceptional position,” praised her Austrian Courier.

Thanks to the great beginnings of the season, the native of Liptov finally made it to the big globe. And in Levi he will be one of the biggest favorites again.

“After last year, the ambitions are very high. I want to attack the highest rungs. If I submit my optimal ride, I will be satisfied, “Vlhová admitted at a press conference on Thursday.

There are two slaloms in Levi – on Saturday and Sunday (1st round 10.30, 2nd round 13.30, broadcast by JOJ Šport, ČT Sport, Eurosport).

I will definitely not go here on vacation

Vlh was released, although it has not been easy for the last three weeks. The Finnish resort of Levi is the northernmost in the World Cup. He competes 170 kilometers beyond the Arctic Circle.

“There’s not much to be done here, even though I had a day off, either rested or regenerated,” said the 26-year-old skier.

Sunlight in Lapland is rare. If the sun is shining, then only from ten to third, even very low. Most of the time it was fog and dark.

“If I had to go on holiday, I would definitely not come here. I went here to train, so I don’t mind. It is difficult for a normal life. “I’ll be leaving soon and I’m looking forward to seeing the sun a little higher,” she added.

She watched the race from the other side

Last weekend Vlhová missed a parallel giant slalom in Lech, Austria. With the team, they decided to focus on slalom and classic giant slalom training.

“It simply came to our notice then. We debated this for several days. We did well, I don’t regret it, “said Vlhová.

She ran all the World Cup races last season. This time, right at the beginning of the year, she watched the race on television.

“It was nice to watch the race from the other side after a long time,” she added.

Training? I wasn’t slow

She also tried out the competition slope in Levi. Although the snow conditions in Lapland were excellent, the track itself was not ideal.

“We were a little worried, the ground was not hard. It was soft. I take the fact that I tried the hill before the race as an advantage, “revealed Vlhová.

At the training, she was compared with the Norwegians, Germans, Italians and Slovaks, who represent the Czech Republic Martina Dubovská.

“What did it look like in time? I wasn’t slow, “Vlhová smiled.

“I feel very well. It helped that we’ve been here for almost three weeks. I ski well and it’s just a matter of bringing it to the race, “she added.

He knocks a little on the gates on Friday

The freezing conditions beyond the Arctic Circle seem to suit her. In the last six starts in Levi, she finished five times on the podium, of which she won three times.

She won both slaloms last year.

“I do not mean that the victories were for something. I put the maximum into it then. That is also why we decided to draw on last year’s experience and stay here longer, “says Vlhová.

Before the race, he also gets used to winning the winning races from previous seasons. She did so, already in Levi. She had a freer day on Thursday. Massage in the morning, easier training with a physiotherapist in the afternoon.

On Friday she will have a light skiing training. “I’ll just knock on the gates,” she suggested.

Shiffrin compared her to a hammer

She won Levi for the first time four years ago. She defeated American Mikael Shiffrin in ten hundred seconds.

“It was the last time Shiffrin and I trained. Petra was a little faster in training and eventually won the race. They haven’t trained together since, “revealed Vlh’s brother Boris.

Until then, Shiffrin had clearly dominated slalom. When the Slovak skier defeated her, she compared her to a hammer.

“It was a great duel. Until now, someone in the slalom has always chased me. Petra is like a hammer, she can still improve, “Shiffrin admitted.

A funny story with a book

Last year, she won in the first slalom before Mikaela Shiffrin and in the second before Michelle Gisin. Katharina Liensberger finished third.

If we add Wendy Holdener, who is returning to the World Cup carousel after a broken arm, there are five female skiers who should fight for the highest places.

“Wendy and I met at the hotel and said goodbye. Since she was on the phone, I didn’t have time to talk to her, “Vlhová admitted.

She showed that she was in a good mood at the last question, when her journalist asked if she had managed to read her book in Finland.

“She did not make it. We have a funny story. Ivana, Boris and Maťko Gemza and I went to Finland. We got on a plane and asked who had the book. Everyone relied on someone else to take it, so we are without a book, “she added.