In a four-word Instagram story posted late Monday night, Mikaela Shiffrin ended weeks of speculation about her season debut with a message as simple as it was electric: “See you in Cortina.”
The post, accompanied by a short video of the sun rising over the jagged pink walls of the Tofane, instantly sent the alpine skiing world into overdrive. Cortina d’Ampezzo will host the first speed races of the 2025-26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup this weekend – a downhill on Friday, December 7, followed by a super-G on Saturday, December 8 – and Shiffrin’s cryptic greeting is being interpreted by fans, rivals, and media alike as confirmation that the most decorated skier in history is ready to return to competition.
Shiffrin, 30, has not raced since her record-extending 104th World Cup victory in slalom at Copper Mountain on November 30. A lingering left knee issue, the result of a training crash in late October, forced her to skip the Killington giant slalom and the Levi slaloms in Finland. While she resumed full training in early December and looked sharp in recent videos shared by U.S. Ski Team staff, no official start list confirmation had been released – until now, it seems.
The timing could hardly be more dramatic. Cortina is not just any venue for Shiffrin. It was on these same Olympia delle Tofane slopes that she claimed her first-ever World Cup super-G victory in 2017, and she has stood on the podium here seven additional times across downhill, super-G, and giant slalom. More importantly, Cortina will host the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in just 14 months, making this weekend a crucial early dress rehearsal on the future Olympic hill.
Sources close to the U.S. Ski Team told reporters Tuesday morning that Shiffrin completed a full downhill training run on the Cortina course last Thursday in “very encouraging” conditions and has been given medical clearance for both races. An official start list is expected Wednesday, but the five-time overall champion appears poised to open her speed campaign earlier than most observers predicted.
Reaction across social media was immediate and deafening. Federica Brignone, the defending overall champion, reposted Shiffrin’s story with a single fire emoji. Swiss star Lara Gut-Behrami wrote, “Finally. Game on.” Even Lindsey Vonn, whose all-time win record Shiffrin is on the cusp of breaking again, chimed in: “Cortina just got a lot faster.”
For Shiffrin, a strong result this weekend would do more than just add to her win tally. It would silence any remaining doubts about her knee, re-assert her dominance in the speed disciplines she has increasingly targeted, and send an unmistakable message ahead of a season that culminates with the Milano-Cortina Olympics.
The mountains have been waiting.
Now Mikaela Shiffrin has told them she’s on her way.
See you in Cortina, indeed.
