German Daniela Maier stormed to Olympic women's ski cross gold on Friday after she outpaced both the world champion and 2022 Games winner.
Maier seized the biggest victory of her career with a dominant showing ahead of world champion Fanny Smith of Switzerland.
Sweden's Sandra Naeslund, the Beijing 2022 champion, took bronze in front of France's Marielle Berger Sabbatel, 36.
It was Germany's sixth gold of the Milan/Cortina Games and the first for the nation in ski cross since its Olympic debut in 2010. Maier managed bronze four years ago.
"It's surreal. I only really realized it on the podium when they put the medal around my neck. It will take me a while to really comprehend it," said Maier, who won Germany's first medal at the Livigno Snow Park where snowboarding and freestyle skiing are taking place.
Ski cross, part of freestyle skiing, involves four competitors racing side-by-side on an undulating course with jumps.
Maier had fitness problems in the run-up to the Games.
"I'm glad that I persevered and never gave up, that I always picked myself up and got back on my feet," she told ZDF as she fought off tears.
A friend was supposed to be waiting for her in the finish area with an Aperol alcoholic drink to celebrate, whatever her result.
"Unfortunately, she didn't bring it in. But I hope there will now be a few litres of Aperol," joked Maier.
Also in Livigno, the freestyle skiing men's aerials gold will be handed out later. Swiss world champion Noe Roth was ahead after the first of two finals.
The qualifiers had been rescheduled from Tuesday to Thursday, but were further postponed until Friday due to a poor weather forecast amid heavy snowfall.
Qualification rounds and the finals all took place in one day, just like the men's freestyle skiing halfpipe qualifiers and finals, with the medals being decided later on Friday.