Austria's Raedler and Huber Claim Alpine Team Combined Gold as Shiffrin's Olympic Drought Continues

Austria claimed gold in the inaugural Olympic women's Alpine team combined event at Milano Cortina 2026 on Tuesday, as Ariane Raedler and Katharina Huber delivered clutch performances to edge out France and the United States. The dramatic new team format, which combines downhill and slalom results from two-woman teams, produced a thrilling finish with just hundredths of a second separating the podium positions. Meanwhile, American star Mikaela Shiffrin saw her Olympic struggles continue with a disappointing fourth-place finish alongside partner Breezy Johnson.

The Austrian duo posted a combined time that proved unbeatable despite strong challenges from multiple nations. Their victory came after strategic pairing decisions and exceptional execution in both disciplines, showcasing the tactical complexity of the team combined format. France secured the silver medal, while the American team of Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan captured bronze, finishing just six hundredths of a second ahead of the Shiffrin-Johnson pairing in fourth place.

Shiffrin's performance proved particularly surprising given her dominance in slalom this season. After Johnson delivered a strong opening downhill run that put the American pair in medal contention, Shiffrin was expected to secure a podium position with her slalom expertise. Instead, she posted the 15th-fastest slalom time of 45.38 seconds, a full second slower than the fastest split, shocking observers who have watched her win seven World Cup slalom races this season. The result continues a puzzling Olympic trend for the most successful World Cup racer of all time.

With 108 World Cup victories including a record 71 in slalom, Shiffrin entered Milano Cortina as one of the Games' most decorated active athletes. However, she has now gone seven consecutive Olympic races without a medal, dating back to her previous Winter Games appearances. The drought stands in stark contrast to her World Cup dominance and raises questions about her ability to perform under the unique pressure of Olympic competition. Shiffrin acknowledged after the race that she went "a bit too far" with her aggressive approach on the slalom course.

The women's Alpine team combined event made its Olympic debut at these Games, adding a new tactical dimension to Alpine skiing competition. Teams must balance pairing decisions between downhill specialists and technical skiers, with the combined times determining final standings. The format has been praised for adding team dynamics to an otherwise individual sport, though some athletes have questioned whether it truly represents the pinnacle of Alpine skiing achievement.

Shiffrin still has multiple individual events remaining at Milano Cortina 2026, including the traditional slalom and giant slalom competitions where she remains a medal favorite. The question now becomes whether she can overcome the mental hurdles that have plagued her Olympic performances and finally add to her medal collection on the sport's biggest stage. For Austria's Raedler and Huber, the victory provides a breakthrough moment and adds to their nation's proud Alpine skiing tradition.