Mikaela has not "lost it," or close. And no, others have not closed the gap, other than, IMO Liensberger. And of course Bassino just owned GS last season. However.....it was no "normal season" for MS. To finish as well as she did is a pretty good indication of what she can bring. She had almost now preseason prep blocks, and on top of it was an emotional mess. Training blocks are cumulative. You build on them through out the season. Mikaela was behind the eight ball all season. She is the hardest worker in the sport for good reason. It works for her.
Her head coach. Mike Day, and others have made the comments that in training, as the season progressed, Mikaela was just as fast as she has ever been....maybe faster. I am hearing that the skis being made for her, right now for next season are very special. The average SL set on the W's WC was quite a bit different and did not really favor MS. They were, to make it simple, pretty straight down the fall line, and minimal swing. And the biggest factor, was in her head. She is probably the hardest worker on the WC. She trains harder and trains more volume than anybody else. That training and repetitive work is what makes her who she is. It's not some magical touch on the snow and that sort of thing. At the risk of being very redundant, that did not happen this season.
I hear that she is heading back with a ton of energy and drive. She has a lot to prove. She is not the type, not is her team, her mom, Kili, her agent to lash out at some of what has appeared in the press. But, I hear from close mutual friends that she is "pissed off" at a lot of the commentary and is totally "In" in returning with her domination. She knows that she was skiing well at the end of the season, fast. And that she was NOT competing well, and not racing as she can. She needs to get that back, and I suspect that she will. She is a totally different place in April 2021 than she was year ago. I say, bring it on. And I am not typically a huge MS fan boy.
The fact that she is 26 is a great point, and one often forgotten. I suspect this will be a big year.
I do not know what to think about Vhlova, and what to expect moving forward. I've seen her compete {and practice} since she and MS were young teens, in the Trofeo Topolino, and Whistler Cup. Later at WJC's. They have been racing against each other for years, and generally MS always seemed to be in her head. Now, this is just some hearsay from a bunch of athlete conversations, but it sounds to me, from ladies and coaches there, that PV is not all that well liked. MS has become quite well liked as she has gotten older. I also think that few people are "neutral" about Livio Magoni. People seem to shrug their shoulders or have nothing great to say. But I do think that when MS is on top of her game, she takes up a lot of space in PV's head.
This was obviously a very long, very different, very strange season for everybody with, and supporting PV. Yes, Magoni's "plan" did deliver, barely. And PV was by all accounts on fumes at the end. Piling up points as she could. To her huge credit, she did what she had to do to win the globe.
I just wonder how next season unfolds for her. Read Tina Maze's comments about her record breaking season, with Magoni, and how she feels it effectively ended her career make me think. Complete exhaustion, etc. I have NO idea.
I hope hat COVID is not a factor next season, and I'm looking for some great racing from all of the women. I do think that MS will be at the top of the heap. Will be interesting to see if either MS of PH starts a DH.....as an aside. Thinking no.
), and say what it needs to be said. Luckily I'm in position, even professionally, where I can afford that, and if someone doesn't like it, it's their problem.
