(Soldeu) The Slovak Petra Vlhova was the most spirited at the end of the course in the last run on Saturday, winning the last slalom of the Alpine Skiing World Cup.

American Mikaela Shiffrin placed third, behind Croatian Leona Popovic.

Vlhova was eight hundredths behind Popovic in the final split, before shining on the final flat section to beat her by 0.43 seconds.

“My season has been up and down,” Vlhova said. I wanted to show up here and have a good feeling for next season. »

Shiffrin finished .86 seconds behind Vlhova and posted a 17th podium finish this season, in 30 starts.

Shiffrin has won six of the previous 10 slaloms this season, securing the title in January.

She also obtained her fifth globe in the general classification and her second globe in giant slalom.

“It’s the sum of a lot of hard work and a lot of amazing races and the work of the whole team,” Shiffrin said. I am very grateful and very proud. »

On Sunday, Shiffrin will be looking for a 14th win this season and an 88th overall in the season-ending giant slalom.

A week ago, she set the career win record with 87.

Vlhova won the season title in slalom last year.

She won her second race of the current campaign in January in Austria, in an evening event.

After the first run, Vlhova was ahead of Popovic by 0.32 seconds. Third-placed Anna Swenn Larsson was 0.56 down, but the Swede rode a gate in the second run.

Canadian Laurence St-Germain, who beat Shiffrin for the slalom title last month at worlds, was in 10th place after the opening run.

The athlete from Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges was among six skiers who did not finish the second run, which was affected by rain and wet snow.

Her compatriots Amelia Smart and Ali Nullmeyer finished 11th and 12th, respectively.