Velez-Zuzulová, a junior world champion back in 2002, clocked a combined 2min 02.53sec from her two runs to edge compatriot Petra Vlhova, who was 0.24 seconds adrift.

Šárka Strachová of the Czech Republic did enough for third as she posted 2:03.05.

Olympic slalom champion Shiffrin was bidding for yet another success in her preferred discipline but was disqualified after straddling a gate early in her first run.

Shiffrin was chasing a record held by Switzerland’s Vreni Schneider, who achieved eight wins in a row in 1988-89 and Croatian skier Janica Kostelic, who followed suit in 2000-01.

The disappointment for the 21-year-old American marked the first time in more than four years that she has not completed a slalom race.

Her last did not finish came in Semmering in Austria back in December 2012.

"I was never thinking about the streak in the beginning until people started talking about it," Shiffrin said.

"To be honest it is a bit of a relief because nobody is going to talk about it anymore.

"It is what it is.

"Sometimes you don't ski exactly the way you want to.

"I was trying to go forward but I got a little bit tentative in some sections and straddled."

After the costly error spelled the end of Shiffrin’s chances, Velez-Zuzulová went on to post times of 1:00.40 and 1:02.13 to seal an impressive win.

Vlhova was made to rue a slower first run as her second effort of 1:01.89 was the quickest of the day.

Shiffrin’s lead at the top of the Alpine Skiing World Cup standings was unaffected as nearest challenger Lara Gut of Switzerland does not usually compete in slaloms and was not among the starters in the Croatian capital.

The American has a commanding total of 798 points, 215 more than defending overall champion Gut.

The World Cup tour continues with a men’s competition in Zagreb on Thursday (January 5), with the next women’s event scheduled for Maribor in Slovenia on Saturday (January 7).