The undisputed queen of Alpine skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin, continues her march toward the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with unmatched dominance and signature humility. Fresh off her commanding night slalom victory in Flachau, Austria, on January 13—her 107th career World Cup win and 70th in slalom—the 30-year-old American reflected on her historic achievements ahead of today’s giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy.
Shiffrin, who leads the slalom standings and remains a top threat in the overall Crystal Globe chase, admitted the “GOAT” moniker still catches her off guard. “Most of the time when people use the term ‘GOAT’ and my name together, I just literally think of the animal screaming,” she said with a laugh. “As a little girl, I dreamed of being the best ski racer in the world. I didn’t necessarily think about being one of the best in history, so this is pretty far beyond my wildest dreams. I have an incredible team to thank for the support along the way.”
Her Flachau triumph—clocking a combined 1:50.52 to edge U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan by 0.41 seconds, with Austria’s Katharina Truppe in third—reasserted her slalom supremacy after a rare second-place finish to Switzerland’s Camille Rast in Kranjska Gora. That win snapped a brief hiccup in her season-long tear, where she’s claimed six of seven slaloms so far.
The path to this point included a scary crash and surgery in the 2024-25 season, followed by a resilient comeback that pushed her past the 100-win milestone and beyond Ingemar Stenmark’s historic tally. Now, with focused training on strength, coordination, and fundamentals, Shiffrin insists the foundation keeps her progressing: “The sky is the limit.”
Off the slopes, the champion juggles her Mikaela Shiffrin Foundation, brand endorsements, and life with fiancé Aleksander Kilde. As the Olympics loom (February 6–22), she’s the clear favorite in slalom and a major contender in giant slalom, chasing more medals to cement her legacy.
Humble yet hungry, Shiffrin proves greatness isn’t about chasing records—it’s about dreaming big, staying grounded, and delivering when it counts. With Kronplatz up next, the countdown to Olympic glory intensifies.
