Of the next generation behind Shiffrin, Colturi, on her 19th birthday, and Aicher, 22, shone brightest.
Both came from outside the top seeded skiers to reach their fourth World Cup podiums after notching their first three in breakout seasons a year ago.
“It’s an amazing day,” Colturi said. “I was feeling so great in training and finally I put these feelings on a race day and I’m so happy and so proud about that.
As she continues to chase what would be Albania’s first World Cup win, Colturi, who grew up in Italy, fell short but claimed her equal career-best World Cup finish of second, and surprised even herself.
“In training I was going really good, but not like that,” she said. “I wasn’t sure that I was doing a podium in the first (Slalom) race. But I said, ‘Just live the moment.'”
Her performance was not lost on Shiffrin, suddenly the elder stateswoman among a host of rising stars on the tour.
“I think she (Colturi) has every possibility in the world, to be better, to push the sport. She’s already here, pushing the level,” Shiffrin said.
“It’s pretty cool for me to have been part of the previous generation of the greatest skiers and now to be part of this generation as well. It’s amazing to see her focus, she’s so mature.”
