The dream duo of Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships? Not happening. Shiffrin confirmed Tuesday that she’s skipping the team combined event in Saalbach, Austria to focus on her slalom and giant slalom races, crushing hopes of a legendary pairing. The ski world collectively sighed, but given Shiffrin’s recent injury struggles, this decision makes sense.

Back in November 2024, she suffered a puncture wound in her oblique muscle during a giant slalom crash at Killington, which required surgery and months of recovery. She made her return on Jan. 30, finishing 10th in Courchevel’s night slalom, but the comeback has been anything but easy. Despite pushing hard to be ready for GS on Feb. 13, Shiffrin broke the news that she’s not mentally or physically where she needs to be.

“No World Champs GS for me. 😣💆‍♀️ I’ve poured all of my energy into getting my giant slalom in shape… but I’m not there.” She admitted that mental barriers and PTSD from her Killington crash have hit her harder than expected, making it tough to race with her usual intensity. “Coming to terms with how much fear I have doing an event that I loved so dearly only two months ago has been soul-crushing.” And just like that, the ski world went from hopeful to heartbroken.

Instead, Mikaela Shiffrin will pair up with Breezy Johnson, one of her fearless Speed Team teammates. “Since GS is not in the cards, that re-opens the opportunity for me to join my teammates in the Team Combined,” Shiffrin shared. “Our coaches have now informed us that Breezy and I will be paired together for the event. ” Not the historic duo we dreamed of, but still one to watch!

Ski fans may be devastated about missing a Shiffrin race, but the overwhelming response has been support and admiration for Shiffrin’s honesty. With team combined on Feb. 11 and slalom on Feb. 15, she’s got a huge week ahead, and you can bet the entire skiing world will be watching. But for now skiing world is all in praising her.

Fans are heartbroken but stand by Mikaela Shiffrin’s shocking decision

Mikaela Shiffrin skipping the World Championships giant slalom was a gut punch for fans, but the love and support rolling in for her has been next-level. One fan cheered her on, “And I would add ‘yet.’ You will be there soon. Take your time.” Another added, “You’ve got this, Mikaela! Your strength, determination, and years of experience have built an incredible foundation. With time, this challenge will only add to it—making you even stronger, more confident, and better than ever. Wishing you a smooth recovery!”

Case in point: 2016. She wrecked her knee during a warm-up run in Sweden, missed a bunch of races, and then came back like nothing happened. Not only did she return, but she won every single slalom she entered, including snagging her 18th career victory in Crans-Montana. She was supposed to be out of form instead, she dominated. So yeah, missing GS at Worlds sucks, but if history tells us anything, Shiffrin’s just setting up for another legendary comeback.

And of course, there’s always that one brutally honest yet loving fan who summed it up perfectly: “Yeah, it sucks. But we still love you 😃.” Because, really, what else is there to say? Another fan put it best: “That’s the correct thing to do. You can only perform any task when your complete self is ready to go. Top racers in any sport take a lap or walk the track just to help program—envision winning brain muscle memory.”

Back in 2022, Mikaela Shiffrin opened up about her struggles with mental health. Well, that year, she lost her father suddenly, dealt with a painful back injury, and then caught COVID-19. And that forced her to miss races. And just when things seemed like they couldn’t get worse, the Beijing Olympics happened! There she shockingly got disqualified from three races, including her best event, slalom. Cameras zoomed in as she sat on the side of the course, head down, completely overwhelmed.

Later, she admitted she had hit rock bottom. In the past, she might have put on a brave face, but that time, she decided to be real about what she was going through. She didn’t want to pretend everything was fine—because it wasn’t.  “It’s scary,” she says, “because it shows vulnerability. But there’s no reason to feel shame anymore.” Fast forward to now, and she’s once again facing some tough mental battles but she knows how to handle it.

One fan put it perfectly: “There is no timetable for this recovery. Just be you, because you are great no matter how long it takes ❤️.” Another added, “So proud of you for working through this one day at a time and for being transparent. Praying over you right now, and may God give you total peace.” The entire ski world has come together like one big group hug—because let’s be real, Mikaela Shiffrin isn’t just a champion on the slopes, she’s one of them too.

At the end of the day, whether she’s flying down a mountain or taking the time she needs to heal, she’s still Mikaela freaking Shiffrin and that alone is worth celebrating. So, while we’d all love to see her out there dominating, we’ll happily wait. Because when she comes back? Oh, you know it’s gonna be legendary.