SÖLDEN, Austria (AP) — Very much used to winning World Cup races, Mikaela Shiffrin could hardly be more pleased with finishing fourth in the Alpine skiing season opener on Saturday.

Since her frightening crash in a giant slalom last November, the record holder of 101 career wins has been trying to become friends again with the discipline in which no woman has ever won more races than her tally of 22.

Starting the race with bib 20, Shiffrin was sixth after the opening run and the American star improved two more spots for her best GS result in 21 months.

“It’s huge,” Shiffrin said after the race , which was won by Austria’s Julia Scheib, with Shiffrin’s teammates Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien placing second and sixth, respectively.

“It’s going to be hard to catch up to the top, top

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