Mikaela Shiffrin reacts to rival Lara Gut-Behrami securing giant slalom and overall titles

Alpine skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin has congratulated her Swiss rival Lara Gut-Behrami after she secured the giant slalom and overall titles this Sunday at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals 2023/24.

Gut-Behrami finished 10th in today's GS race, and it was enough to secure both titles for her. It marked the 2nd overall title of her career after winning the last in the 2015-16 season. Speaking with AP News after being handed the crystal globe, the 32-year-old claimed that it was a special moment for her.

“It’s unbelievable, the GS has always been so important to me. I always knew if I’m skiing fast in GS, then I’m skiing fast also in super-G and downhill,” she said.

Mikaela Shiffrin, who won her 97th World Cup race yesterday, opted out of today's GS citing less preparation. She had already missed 13 races by today after she suffered an ankle injury in January, and with each missed race, the overall crystal globe kept moving away from her.

However, the 29-year-old took to Instagram to congratulate the Swiss skier. She also had heaps of praise for Italian skier Federica Brignone, who won the GS finale in a combined time of 2:20:05.

“Congrats Lara!! Much deserved. And spectacular skiing today by Fede (Federica Brignone) too!!” she wrote.

Mikaela Shiffrin congratulates Lara Gut-Behrami's giant slalom title victory

Shiffrin won her 60th slalom race and 8th slalom title yesterday, a record-tying one, taking her overall tally to 16 crystal globes.

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Mikaela Shiffrin reflects on the 2023/24 season

Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals - Women's Slalom

If not the best, 2023-24 was one of the best seasons for Mikaela Shiffrin. The 29-year-old now has the most World Cup victories (97), and is expected to complete the century next season.

When asked about her record-breaking season, Shiffrin replied that while it was hard to process, she felt honored by it.

“It’s a little bit hard to process it (the records) all. It makes me feel so invigorated and so alive, I’m trying to soak it all in. I never really focus too much on the numbers but now I feel OK with them. It’s not pressure, it’s just an honor,” she told course-side TV.

Shiffrin later shared a picture of herself with the slalom title on X (formerly Twitter) and claimed that 2023-24 had been a season 'full of emotions and successes and challenges and patience and trust' for her.