KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Maria Höfl-Riesch of Germany won the women’s super combined Monday, as expected, and Julia Mancuso, the American with a surprise up her sleeve at every Olympics since 2006, barged into another awards ceremony with a bronze medal.

Forget for the moment that these two may be going head-to-head for the next several days — as the favorites in the women’s downhill Wednesday and as top contenders in the super-G two days later. That duel could evolve into the Alpine rivalry of the Sochi Olympics.

But first, in the wake of Höfl-Riesch’s steely comeback victory Monday, and after Mancuso’s stunning resurrection, there is time to celebrate two of the finest women’s Olympic Alpine skiers of this generation. Höfl-Riesch has now won three Olympic gold medals in women’s Alpine skiing, one fewer than Janica Kostelic’s record amount. And it is worth noting that Höfl-Riesch will compete in four more Olympic events in the next 10 days with history in reach.

It is now apparent that by the time Höfl-Riesch, 29, has skied in her final Olympics, she could hold many of the primary medal records, if not all of them.