Mikaela Shiffrin reveals her Olympic season 2026 strategy before of the World Cup debut.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s skiing status is crystal clear and unwavering when her entire body of work is considered: She is the greatest of all time.

The Edwards legend has 101 World Cup victories, which is more than any other athlete in history. He has also surpassed Ingemar Stenmark for the most career podium finishes, with 157, which he achieved in March of last year. Her record-tying fifteen world championship medals, five crystal globes overall, and eleven discipline titles are just icing on the cake.

Even though casual fans care about the event every four years, the unrivaled queen of Alpine skiing hasn’t been quite as powerful. Of course, it’s relative given that she has won two gold medals in three Olympic appearances, but even Shiffrin appears to feel like something is missing from an otherwise dazzling chapter of her narrative.

In response to a question on her perspective on her Olympic past, the 30-year-old stated, “I feel aged,” during a morning press conference on Wednesday. “Wiser, but also, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually know.”

The 2025–26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season begins on Saturday with a giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, and Shiffrin is clearly not looking forward to the unknown. Is she going for the shotgun? Is it possible to get a super-G? Does she seem to be mentally well? After taking a break of almost two years, when will Petra Vlhova, her main competitor, return to the circuit? Will she attempt to perform differently in preparation for the Olympics, and how does she feel about them?

In response to the final question, Shiffrin stated, “I don’t think I know really many ski racers who would target the (Olympic) Games over World Cup performance.” “Most of us believe that a team’s momentum, confidence, and competence can be enhanced by their consistent performance throughout the World Cup season leading up to the Games.”

Nevertheless, the most junior slalom medalist in Olympic history is well aware that the public’s view of her hinges on the events held every four years.

Being part of that story might be challenging, she admitted. “While maintaining your focus on what matters most to you as a sportsperson.”

Looking at Mikaela Shiffrin’s entire body of work, her skiing status is quite clear and unwavering: She’s the greatest of all time.

The Edwards legend has 101 World Cup victories, which is more than any other athlete in history. He has also surpassed Ingemar Stenmark for the most career podium finishes, with 157, which he achieved in March of last year. Her record-tying fifteen world championship medals, five crystal globes overall, and eleven discipline titles are just icing on the cake.

Even though casual fans care about the event every four years, the unrivaled queen of Alpine skiing hasn’t been quite as powerful. Of course, it’s relative given that she has won two gold medals in three Olympic appearances, but even Shiffrin appears to feel like something is missing from an otherwise dazzling chapter of her narrative.

In response to a question on her perspective on her Olympic past, the 30-year-old stated, “I feel aged,” during a morning press conference on Wednesday. “Wiser, but also, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually know.”

The 2025–26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season begins on Saturday with a giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, and Shiffrin is clearly not looking forward to the unknown. Is she going for the shotgun? Is it possible to get a super-G? Does she seem to be mentally well? After taking a break of almost two years, when will Petra Vlhova, her main competitor, return to the circuit? Will she attempt to perform differently in preparation for the Olympics, and how does she feel about them?

In response to the final question, Shiffrin stated, “I don’t think I know really many ski racers who would target the (Olympic) Games over World Cup performance.” “Most of us believe that a team’s momentum, confidence, and competence can be enhanced by their consistent performance throughout the World Cup season leading up to the Games.”

Nevertheless, the most junior slalom medalist in Olympic history is well aware that the public’s view of her hinges on the events held every four years.

Being part of that story might be challenging, she admitted. “While maintaining your focus on what matters most to you as a sportsperson.”

I believe the Olympics provide a fantastic venue where people from all around the globe can learn about our sport and get a better understanding of it. Additionally, I feel that many viewers don’t put in the effort to fully comprehend the history of the games and the athletes competing in them, and that there is a finite amount of information that can be absorbed in just two weeks of intense coverage.

Olympic commentator Mikaela Shiffrin, October 22, 2025

Shiffrin recently told Olympics.com that she does not want Beijing to dictate her perspective on the Games, following her disqualification from three events and lack of hardware at the 2022 Olympics.

As she looked forward to Milano Cortina, she stated, “I think it’s not so much about unfinished business.” Making peace is more important, though.

The strategy calls for an adult viewpoint and laser-like concentration. It’s probable that in Italy next February, she will aim for three races: slalom, GS, and team combined. Shiffrin is being level-headed regarding her grand crystal globe ambitions, despite the allure of matching Annemarie Moser-Pröll’s record of six overall World Cup championships.

“I am just as driven as before,” she declared. I am also not unrealistic about my current situation; I did not enter the season thinking I was unstoppable. I’m approaching the season methodically. Every single race, in my opinion, will have room for development.

When she regains her self-assurance in giant slalom, everyone will be watching. Shiffrin returned to technical skiing three times last season after suffering a puncture wound to the abdomen in a GS fall at the Killington World Cup in November. However, she struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms during these attempts. It was like Beyoncé forgetting the words to “Single Ladies” during her Super Bowl halftime performance; she finished 25th in Sestriere on February 21 and didn’t qualify for a second run the following day. Her most recent performance was a March 8 DNF in Are.

According to Shiffrin, who highlighted GS during her summer camps, such as an on-snow session at Copper Mountain in June, it has been a fantastic trip to work from the conclusion of last season, when she had a complete disconnect between her mind and body, to the present, when she feels more control over the progress she is making.

There was a lot of work involved in her ongoing effort to overcome her exposure to the methods and pace. Being able to handle a GS course at full speed is still something of a work in progress.

This fall, Shiffrin’s squad departed for Europe a bit earlier than in previous years, which was consistent with last season.

Rettenbach Glacier venue winner Shiffrin commented, “This year has actually been one of the best two-week preparation periods that I’ve experienced in awhile” before Sölden. After missing much of last season, Shiffrin may face a higher bib number and courses with more debris, ruts, and tracks, according to her.

Skiing difficult terrain has been a major objective for Shiffrin, both this season and overall.

After Sölden, the World Cup circuit heads to Levi, Finland for a slalom on November 15th, then heads back to Austria for another slalom on November 23rd. Shiffrin will have another opportunity to ski on home ground at the Stifel Copper Cup next week at Copper Mountain.

Although she was disappointed she couldn’t race at Beaver Creek last year, Shiffrin was just as delighted to watch her colleagues do so. With Copper on the horizon for this year… In addition to thinking it’s crucial to hold events in the United States, I think this one is going to be awesome.

Copper Mountain will host a super-G and giant slalom race for the men on November 27 and 28, and a giant slalom and slalom event for the women on November 29 and 30. The men’s Birds of Prey World Cup is in Beaver Creek for four days, then they cross Vail Pass the following week. After a near-fatal crash on the Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024, Shiffrin’s fiancé, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, is aiming to make a triumphant return in this race. A 32-year-old man suffered a difficult shoulder dislocation and a serious cut to his leg. Later on, he had to have more procedures because infections and sepsis kept coming back.

I don’t know how I’ll handle it, even though it’s not my problem. When the Norwegian returned to the starting gate, Shiffrin described it as “exciting, exhilarating, and emotional.”

“He has been putting in an incredible amount of effort and has been incredibly consistent with his rehab, his faith in the human body, and his efforts to improve his nutrition, mindset, and overall health,” she went on to say. “Over the past few years, I’ve gleaned a wealth of knowledge from him.”

In December, the women will round off their North American tour by competing in two tech competitions in Tremblant, Canada. Shiffrin will only get a chance to gauge her super-G performance at the upcoming St. Moritz racing weekend. Shiffrin has stated that she will concentrate on her two strongest races if, following the race on December 14, she believes that she cannot possibly qualify for the increasingly packed U.S. squad.

“I deeply admire super-G,” she chimed in. “I really don’t want to just let it go.”

With the 25th Winter Olympiad just around the corner, Shiffrin compared her previous Olympic visits to less well-known venues like Beijing, China, Sochi, Russia, and PyeongChang, South Korea, to the more prestigious Cortina d’Ampezzo.

She expressed her excitement about being in a familiar place, considering her entire Olympic background.

Maybe now that she knows the ropes, she may write a new chapter in that Olympic history—one that her supporters will remember better—with results that are more recognizable to them.

“From what I’ve experienced, it’s definitely one of the top places I ski,” Shiffrin said, a statement that the rest of the World Cup competitors would do well to take to heart. “I’m crossing my fingers for mild winter weather.”

The article was published by VailDaily.com.