A lot changed in the Alpine skiing world during the two days at Killington, Vermont. What was supposed to be a historic moment for Mikaela Shiffrin on home snow, turned into an absolute disaster. The Olympic gold medalist was on track to claim her 100th World Cup race victory as she entered Day 2 atop the leaderboards. However, things changed in a split second.

As the 29-year-old bolted down the slope, she slipped during a turn, smashed through two turn markers, and came to a halt after crashing onto the protective net. “It’s going to be a minute to let the wound heal,” Shiffrin said after the injury. However, as Shiffrin recovered, Team USA failed to make it to the podium at Killington. Now US Skiing Association CEO Sophie Goldschmidt has aired her concern.

The harsh reality staring at Mikaela Shiffrin and the US Ski team

While the injuries the Olympian sustained at Killington looked far worse than they were, the incident has put her out of action. Besides Team USA losing their best hope for a podium finish in both the slalom and giant slalom, Shiffrin’s absence may hurt Team USA in the second event in North America, at Birds of Prey in Colorado. Unfortunately, no one can fill Shiffrin’s shows.

“She’s set an incredibly high standard,” Goldschmidt said in the five-time champion’s praise. “But we’re constantly working on our development plans, seeing how we can get more athletes engaged, more athletes in the pipeline for longer. And, look, we’re seeing some depth. But, again, Mikaela (Shiffrin) is irreplaceable,” said Goldschmidt as per a report by the Washington Post.

Since the Colorado native will be down for at least a couple of weeks, there’s little to no chance she’ll be ready for Beaver Creek. However, Team USA’s woes extend far beyond not having Shiffrin on the team for this event. At 29, the Olympic gold medalist is closer to retiring from the sport. So the clock is running out for US Skiing to find a long-term replacement.

While Mikaela Shiffrin’s predecessor, Lindsey Vonn, has announced a comeback, she may not officially ski until the 2026 Olympics. Additionally, it would be unrealistic to think that Vonn will ski for too many years at 40. Yet unlike the transition from Vonn to Shiffrin, there seems to be no heir to the throne after the 29-year-old, at least for now. Meanwhile, Shiffrin herself seems to have hit a roadblock.

The ever-elusive 100th World Cup victory remains out of reach

The crash at Killington became the 29-year-old’s second season derailing crash in 2024. Hoping to reach the 100th World Cup win milestone in February, Shiffrin crashed at Cortina d’Ampezzo in January in an attempt to register her 97th World Cup career win. While she came back after a month to claim another victory, she finished the season having fallen short of the 100-win milestone.

The accident in Vermont has once again halted her progress, this time at 99. The crowd at Killington as they witnessed Mikaela Shiffrin‘s brutal crash. However, they roared back to life when the alpine skiing legend waved to them while the medics carried her away on a stretcher. Shiffrin once again addressed her fans from the hospital. “I am so sorry to scare everybody, and it looks like all scans so far are clear,” Shiffrin said in her video.

“In theory, it’ll heal from the inside out, but that’s going to take a couple of weeks for sure. And then it’s building the muscle back up to actually be able to withstand the forces of a ski turn,” Shiffrin explained to the Washington Post. How long will it take to make a full recovery? That may not come to light until the injury heals, but her season is far from over.

Yet, after constantly facing obstacles on her way to making World Cup history, Shiffrin has stopped prioritizing the milestone. “It’ll come when it comes,” said the three-time Olympian addressing the historic milestone. So whether it’s Team USA Skiing struggling to find a successor to Shiffrin’s legacy or the 29-year-old’s personal milestone, Team USA seems to have hit a rough patch.