Mikaela Shiffrin’s upcoming return to the World Cup next week has everyone talking. Her road to recovery after injury has been anything but straightforward. With a truckload of questions still up in the air about her return, it’s pretty obvious this comeback isn’t gonna be a cakewalk. Everyone’s wondering if she can get back to her winning ways.

Mikaela Shiffrin has a remarkable career in skiing. Mikaela is the first skier to win gold at five straight World Championships. She has already 99 World Cup wins in hand, and now she is waiting to hit that 100-win mark. As one of the greatest to ever ski, it’s a comeback everyone will be watching.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s injury came at a tough time in her career. Just when she was all set for the World Cup in December 2024, a lower back strain threw her plans out the window. During the giant slalom at the Stifel Killington Cup, she had a freak accident, crashing into a safety net which left her with a deep, nasty puncture wound in her abdomen. The injury was pretty bad, but thank goodness, none of her insides got messed up. However, the damage to her muscles was severe.

Shiffrin explained how the puncture messed up her muscles big time, tearing through her obliques and leading to bleeding and swelling. As Shiffrin gets closer to hitting the slopes again, the mental and physical challenges she’s been through in recovery are definitely taking their toll on her. She will return to the Alpine Skiing World Cup next Thursday.

“It’s going to be a little bit nerve-wracking, to be honest,” she reflected on the journey back. “These past six weeks, every step it’s like, ‘Geez, should this be hurting less? Should I be better at this? Should I be more tolerant of the pain?’ There are so many questions that come up in your mind of basically whether or not you’re doing well enough.” This is simply another example of her mental toughness.

Despite dealing with immense pain and a chance to never compete again, she has kept her cool about all this. Despite her injuries, she continues to be in high spirits and is excited for the upcoming World Cup. The multi-time champ is sure that she will recover in time for the World Championship and back at her best. But despite being in recovery, she has not abandoned her role of being the motivator of the team.

Shiffrin’s support for teammates despite her absence

Mikaela Shiffrin’s presence is still big on the US Ski Team. This is despite being out of the picture for a few months. But Paula Moltzan took the helm in Shiffrin’s absence and made a bright spot out of it. Paula gave a sensational performance at Giant Slalom in Kronplatz. For Paula who has always looked up to Shiffrin, this was a moment to prove herself.

And the American gave one of her best performances when the team was in a pinch. This goes on to show just how deep the talent pool is for the US Ski team. Paula’s third-place finish ahead of the World Championship has declared to the world that the US is ready. This again shows how important Mikaela has been for her team not just for her talent but also for her constant support.

Mikaela also heaped praise on her teammates including Elizabeth Bocock. She said, “Elizabeth’s first World Cup point is amazing. I’m so proud.” She continues with, “Wait, one more thing to add, because I’m just actually seeing the results. Paula and Nina also with career bests, just very happy for you guys. Love you.”

Her words show the depth of Shiffrin’s leadership and her involvement in her teammates’ success. Her reaction shows that despite her challenges, she knows her role as a mentor and that this will encourage them to aim higher. Mikaela Shiffrin’s inspiring comeback is about taking her place back. How will she perform in the Thursday event after such a long recovery?