I haven't felt as good on skis as I did in Kitzbühel for two years. The equipment was spot on, and despite all the pressure around Olympic qualification I finished fourth – my best result of the season.

I'm heading into the new season fully motivated – and it's an Olympic one. Since August I've been in the intensive phase of preparation with my trusted coaching team. We found perfect snow conditions, almost always in glorious sunshine. Now there's one more week of recovery before intensive training for the first race in Val d'Isère on 12 December begins. Val d'Isère has always suited me, and I'm expecting a lot there.

Now it's one race after another: my favourite races are back on the programme – unfortunately the race in Kitzbühel was cancelled, a course I absolutely love. Kitzbühel would simply be the ultimate slalom.

Long before the starting gun fires for the new season and the first slalom gate is passed, there's already a lot to do. Back in May I was already on the snow for 14 days.