Federica Brignone's brief but spectacular season draws to an end on the snows of Soldeu. The Italian champion, fresh after her victory in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, where she won two gold medals in super-G and giant slalom, has decided to take a break after returning to competitive skiing following a serious accident on April 3, 2025. Upon her return, she instantly achieved remarkable achievements. The athlete from the Aosta Valley will not compete in the upcoming World Cup events in Val di Fassa (March 6-8), Åre (March 14-15, giant slalom and slalom), or the finals in Norway (March 21-25). Brignone justified her decision as follows: "I think I've asked a lot of my body over the past few months," she said. "I have been entirely committed to the goal of participating in the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics since the day I sustained my injury. I have already achieved the double feat of carrying the Italian flag and reaching the podium, and I have even done so twice, reaching the top step of the podium. I attempted to continue the season, but my body is now beginning to suffer. Therefore, I am taking advantage of the season's conclusion to give myself a break and then continue my rehabilitation as best I can, which has been logically compelled throughout this time to achieve the miracle we were able to perform. I am grateful to everyone who believed in the Olympic dream and enabled me to get back on my feet and participate this season". This decision was therefore driven by the importance of a full recovery and the need to calmly complete an inevitably accelerated rehabilitation process in order to be present at the Olympics. Without its leader, the Italian team will rely on Sofia Goggia, Laura Pirovano, Elena Curtoni, Nicol Delago, Nadia Delago, Roberta Melesi, Asja Zenere, Sara Allemand, Sara Thaler and Ilaria Ghisalberti.