Shiffrin fights fatigue in quest for 4th straight overall

Mikaela Shiffrin has yet to win a race in 2020 and actually recently recorded a rare "did not finish" in an event.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist knows what some might be thinking: What is going on?

Her response: Nothing that a little rest wouldn't fix. Only, there's no time. The American ski racer's quest for a fourth straight overall World Cup title seems tighter than usual at the midseason point. Shiffrin currently leads rival Petra Vlhova of Slovakia by 273 points, which is sizable but could be eclipsed in as little as a three-race span.

Shiffrin does find it amusing that something may be considered "off" with her skiing. She's b een on the podium in 10 of her 14 races this season — and four times as the winner.

"People are like, 'Oh, no, what's wrong?'" Shiffrin said Thursday. "I'm like, 'Is this what you consider an off year for me?' It's kind of hilarious, actually. It's really funny to think that this would be what most people would consider a bad season or poor results. I've been on most podiums and won multiple races. It's sort of like, 'OK, I'll take that.'"

Shiffrin was so dominating in 2018-19 when she won 17 races and beat Vlhova by 849 points for the overall title.

"People said everything looked so easy," said Shiffrin, who's the rare all-discipline racer. "It's not easy."

Storied seasons prove difficult to duplicate.

"To me, it looks like Petra's gaining more and more confidence with her skiing," said Shiffrin.