When two legends rub shoulders together, there are bound to be some sparks flying. That is exactly what happened between Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin. Back in January, Lindsey Vonn was all excited about the idea of pairing up with Mikaela Shiffrin at a brand-new event at the 2025 Alpine World Championships. The new combined event, which will also make its Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026, features two specialists in a team instead of one skier. One skier will compete in a downhill while the other will do a slalom, with the fastest aggregate time determining the winner. Vonn’s excitement indeed came for a reason.

The two women sit atop the disciplines. Shiffrin holds the record for most Slalom wins whereas Vonn has the most downhill victories. “It’s 181 World Cup wins between the two of us. I’ve told my coaches that I want to,” Vonn had said back then. In the subsequent weeks, there was a dramatic turn of events. Within days of Vonn’s statement, Shiffrin declared on her social media handles, “I need to keep my energy focused on preparing for the giant slalom and slalom races during world championships, and will not be able to participate in the team combined.” So the possibility of a ‘dream team’ fizzled out. But on February 10, Shiffrin changed her plans..

She stated that she was struggling to overcome her fears following her November crash. Therefore Shiffrin decided to withdraw from defending her giant slalom title and race the combined instead. However, instead of Vonn, she paired up with downhill world champion Breezy Johnson. That did not sit well with Vonn and being the outspoken person she is, Vonn publicly vented her disappointment.

“I’m excited for Breezy and Mikaela to team up together and I believe they are a great pair. However, I am disappointed in the way it was handled,” Vonn said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. She went on to pair with AJ Hurt. She even took to X to express her displeasure. What added to the pain was Team Shiffrin walked away with gold whereas Vonn and Hurt had to be content with a 16th-place finish. But ever since the entire episode happened, Vonn seems to be trying to break the ice apologizing for taking it to X. Now leaving the bitterness behind, she took time to hail Shiffrin for her massive achievement.

In an X post, Vonn wrote, “Epic achievement!!” in response to Shiffrin’s 100th World Cup victory. Competing in yet another event on Sunday, Mikaela Shiffrin finally registered her 100th victory. After a gruesome injury pegged her historic achievement back by months, Shiffrin finally had her moment. In her favored slalom, Shiffrin put up a dominant display to secure the lead right from the word go. She maintained a solid 0.61-second gap ahead of the second-placed Zrinka Ljutic. Extending her lead further, Shiffrin had a 0.64 lead from her fellow US competitor, Paula Moltzan, who secured the third position. Interestingly, Vonn was always excited about Shiffrin touching the feat.

Last year, in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com, Vonn had all praise for Shiffrin for how she has elevated the sport to a new level. “It would be an incredible milestone,” Vonn had said about Shiffron who was then standing at 99 wins. “The fact that she didn’t just break the record but now she’s going to break 100 is crazy. And I think if you look at it, it’s the evolution of sports. We all push each other to break new glass ceilings. And she’s pushing it for the next generation and hopefully she inspires the next wave of American skiers,” she had added.

Though the epic pairing did not happen, both the athletes are legends of the game. And with them existing in harmony, it would only benefit the sport in the long run. Now, speaking about benefiting the sport, Lindsey Vonn has come out of her retirement to continue giving back more to the sport. Pulling off an almost miraculous recovery, Vonn is attempting to continue her career in skiing at 40. Unfortunately, en route, she is being welcomed with numerous scathing criticisms. But Lindsey Vonn is quick to take them down.

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Lindsey Vonn shuts down critics questioning her skiing comeback

Lindsey Vonn isn’t here for the doubters. The skiing legend has made one thing very clear. And that is, she won’t let the naysayers dictate her comeback. While legends in other sports are celebrated for competing into their 40s, Vonn has faced skepticism about her return to the slopes. And she’s not holding back in response.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, shutting down critics who question her return after knee surgery, Vonn stated, “Been a little frustrating because that’s a close-minded way to think.” She further emphasized how advancements in medical procedures have changed the landscape of sports, making longevity more attainable. While some former athletes remain skeptical, Vonn sees their doubts as outdated thinking, adding, “I do hope this opens people’s eyes to what’s possible.”

But Vonn isn’t discouraged from all this. Instead, she is advising other skiers who might also be struggling with knee and hip procedures. The 40-year-old icon revealed that athletes have been reaching out to her, intrigued and inspired by her recovery process and comeback. Her determination speaks louder than any skepticism. And she’s back on the slopes, pain-free, to prove what’s possible.

Vonn has already hinted that she has been eyeing the 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano Cortina which has been a lucky spot for Vonn. Now, if she continues to reign on the icy slopes and successfully makes it, it won’t just be a comeback. Rather, it’ll be a statement and a reply to all the naysayers.