Two-time Olympic champion and six-time overall World Cup winner Mikaela Shiffrin declared herself ready to reclaim her place at the top of alpine skiing, telling reporters on Saturday, “I know I can do the work it takes to win again.”
The 30-year-old American star made the comments during a media session ahead of next weekend’s Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup speed races in Beaver Creek, her first competitive appearance since a frightening crash in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, last January ended her 2024-25 season prematurely. The incident, which resulted in a torn ACL and MCL in her left knee, forced Shiffrin to miss the remainder of the campaign and cast uncertainty over her long-term future in the sport.
Speaking with quiet confidence but unmistakable determination, Shiffrin opened up about the grueling rehabilitation process and the mental hurdles she has overcome in the past ten months.
“It’s been a long road—longer than any injury I’ve had before,” she said. “There were days when the knee felt good and days when it didn’t, and you just have to keep showing up. But every step forward reminded me why I do this. I still love the speed, the precision, the fight. That hasn’t changed.”
Shiffrin, who has amassed a record 97 World Cup victories, emphasized that her goal is not merely to return but to compete at the elite level she has defined for more than a decade.
“Coming back just to participate isn’t the plan,” she stated firmly. “I know I can do the work it takes to win again. I’ve done it before, and I’m willing to do it again.”
Her coaching staff and medical team echoed that optimism. U.S. Ski Team head women’s coach Paul Kristofic described Shiffrin’s preparation as “nothing short of remarkable,” noting that recent high-intensity training blocks in Chile and Europe have shown “vintage Mikaela” in both technical and speed disciplines.
Shiffrin is entered in the downhill on December 5 and super-G on December 6 at Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey course, a venue where she claimed her first World Cup speed podium (third in downhill) in 2017. While she acknowledged the challenge of facing a new generation of speed specialists, including Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami and Italy’s Sofia Goggia, Shiffrin refused to set limitations.
“I’m not putting a number on it—podiums, wins, whatever,” she said. “I just want to ski the way I know I can. If I do that, the results will come.”
Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely as one of skiing’s greatest champions takes her first competitive turns since the crash. If her words are any indication, Mikaela Shiffrin is not simply back—she is ready to write the next chapter of an already legendary career.
