When will Mikaela Shiffrin make her comeback? © ANSA / CHRISTIAN BRUNA

Race against time: What's next for Shiffrin?

At the end of November, the most successful skier was seriously injured in her home race in Killington. Since then, there has been no certainty about her return to skiing. However, if she does take part in the World Championships, there could be a US dream team.

15 January 2025

From: apa

For ski star Mikaela Shiffrin, the expected race against time will take place before the start of the World Championships on February 4 in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The American has not yet returned to pole training after her fateful fall at the end of November, as Shiffrin's spokeswoman told the APA. There is no comeback plan because the situation is being reassessed day by day.

"The World Cup is the goal," said Atomic racing director Christian Höflehner on the sidelines of the Flachau World Cup. Shiffrin is doing various exercises on the slopes again. "But she is not training for racing yet." The five-time overall World Cup winner fell in her home race, the giant slalom in Killington at the end of November, on the way to her 100th World Cup victory. She suffered a stab wound in the stomach and muscle damage in the pelvic area, probably from her ski pole. Since her recovery did not initially go as hoped, the 29-year-old had to undergo another operation in mid-December.

At the end of November, Shiffrin was injured in Killington. © AFP / PIERRE TEYSSOT

"It was and is difficult to calculate with this injury because we have little experience. We hope, of course, that it will work out for the World Championships," said Höflehner. Shiffrin's long-time rival Petra Vlhova, who suffered a serious knee injury in her home race in Jasna a year ago, will start racing training at the end of January, according to Slovakian media. After complications with the cartilage, she has recently been working hard to rebuild muscle around her knee.

US dream team at World Cup premiere?

She only watched the night slalom in Flachau, which Shiffrin has already won five times, on TV on Tuesday. With the Kronplatz giant slalom and the slalom in Courchevel, Shiffrin still has two chances to make a World Cup comeback in technical races before the big event. It is becoming increasingly unlikely that this will happen. There is still a month to go before her flagship disciplines, giant slalom and slalom, are held in Saalbach.

Will Lindsey Vonn (pictured) compete with Mikaela Shiffrin? © ANSA / ANNA SZILAGYI

Before that, the premiere of the new team combination format - consisting of a downhill and a slalom - will take place on February 11th. This constellation makes it possible for Lindsey Vonn and Shiffrin to compete for medals as a team of two. Shiffrin has already won 14 World Championship medals, including seven gold medals.