Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was flying down the legendary Lauberhorn on January 13, 2024, pushing the limits on one of the most grueling courses in the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup. The Norwegian speedster had already battled illness that weekend but still landed back-to-back podiums. Then came the final turn A slight miscalculation, a brutal wipeout—Kilde was airborne, crashing hard into the safety netting. Silence fell over Wengen as he clutched his right leg. Moments later, he was airlifted to Interlaken. Fast forward months later, and Kilde has given a word about his recovery! And what’s that?

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde should be out there, racing down the slopes alongside his rivals as they wrap up the World Cup 2025 season. Instead, he’s back in Innsbruck, Austria, his left arm stuck in a sling, limited to just walking for a brief. It’s not exactly the comeback he had hoped for. Norwegian skier tore ligaments in his shoulder, a nasty cut, and nerve damage in his right calf in Wengen. Surgery followed, and after months of grueling rehab, he finally got back on skis last summer. But then came another setback!

An infection in his shoulder forced him to hit pause. The dream of competing this season? Gone. He needed yet another surgery to reattach two muscles in Mikaela Shiffrin’s partner’s shoulder. And just when things seemed to be heading in the right direction, an infection derailed everything again. This time, the procedure was no simple fix. Kilde called it a “very, very complicated surgery.” Doctors had to completely reconstruct his shoulder, using a graft from his hamstring and trapezius muscle. After all that? He’s back in recovery mode, waiting—hoping—his body will finally cooperate.

Kilde is still stuck with the sling, still on antibiotics, making sure another infection doesn’t sneak up on him. And those walks? Just 30 minutes at a time, but not because of his shoulder. It’s actually the hamstring graft that’s limiting him now. “At the moment, I actually don’t know how it works,” said Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiancé.  “The only thing I know is that it’s not painful… it’s smaller than the other (shoulder), but it’s at least in the right position. So that’s a great feeling.”

Since he is now on his way to recovery, is he eyeing to make a comeback?

Mikaela Shiffrin’s partner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde sets sights on Cortina 2026

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde didn’t race in the 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season. After a year filled with injuries and setbacks, the Norwegian skier has decided to focus entirely on healing. But he’s not just thinking about next season—his real goal? The 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina.

At the 2022 Beijing Games, Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiancé left with two medals, which were silver in the Alpine combined and bronze in the super-G. Now, he’s determined to come back stronger for another shot at Olympic glory. “It’s very good motivation for me to say to myself, ‘This is what I’m going to be 100% ready for,’” Kilde said. “But honestly, I’m going to continue skiing for some more years. So just to be back is my biggest goal—and to be able to be competitive again.”

Kilde has been making history on the slopes for over a decade. Back in 2013, he became the junior world champion in giant slalom at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. Two years later, he earned his first World Cup podium in super-G at Val Gardena. In 2020, he clinched the overall World Cup title, proving he could take on the best in the world.

With two Olympic medals and a decorated career behind him, Kilde isn’t done yet. His road to recovery is long, but his eyes are locked on Cortina 2026. If history has shown anything, it’s that he knows how to fight his way back.