Lindsey Vonn was ‘disappointed’ with way Mikaela Shiffrin handled the choice to race with another teammate

SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria (AP) – They are the two greatest skiers in United States history. Specifically, in women’s skiing in general.

It’s hardly surprising that having Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin on the same team might lead to conflict.

It happened years ago, when Vonn was nearing the end of her career and Shiffrin was just starting out. And now it’s happening again, with Vonn returning to racing at the age of 40, nearly six years after retiring.

But who thought that the all-new team-based event would bring the tension to the surface?

Vonn expressed disappointment with Shiffrin’s choice to participate in the combined event at the skiing world championships alongside downhill world champion Breezy Johnson, rather than forming a “dream team.”

Vonn had hoped to race with Shiffrin on an American squad that would have included the two most successful skiers in World Cup history. Never mind that neither skier is officially permitted to choose who they partner with; the U.S. team’s coaching staff makes that decision based on “season-best results” in both downhill and slalom.

Shiffrin withdrew from the team combined race due to a lack of giant slalom training after a November collision in Killington, Vermont.

Shiffrin made a modification to her plans Monday. She stated that she was struggling to overcome her worries following her November fall, so she chose to withdraw from defending her giant slalom championship and run the combined instead, teaming with Johnson. Shiffrin will compete in the slalom, while Johnson will race the downhill.

Slalom has lower speeds than giant slalom, making it a less risky sport.

“I’m happy for Breezy and Mikaela to work together, and I think they’ll make an excellent combination. However, I am upset in how it was handled,” Vonn told The Associated Press.

Vonn said she contacted Shiffrin, who agreed it would be amazing to compete together. However, Vonn was then informed that Shiffrin will not be competing in the combined. Vonn just found out about Shiffrin’s ultimate choice to race it via Instagram.

“Despite the lack of communication I am a team player and am looking forward to be partnered with AJ Hurt, who is an amazing young skier,” he said.

Shiffrin’s spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

A new event has one racer participating in downhill and another in slalom.

The combined event consists of one racer participating in a downhill run and another in a slalom run, with the two times put together to determine the final results. Each nation may enter up to four partnerships.

Johnson won the world downhill title, and Shiffrin won two World Cups this season, therefore they were nominated to Team 1.

The No. 2 team consists of super-G bronze medallist Lauren Macuga and Paula Moltzan. Vonn and Hurt are ranked third, followed by Jacqueline Wiles and Katie Hensien in fourth place.

Shiffrin and Vonn have the most World Cup victories among female racers, with 99 and 82, respectively. Vonn has the most World Cup downhill victories (43), while Shiffrin has the most slalom victories (62), both among men and women.

“I think it would be probably one of the coolest things in ski racing to have 181 World Cup victories on one team,” Vonn stated only a week prior.

While Hurt, 24, has never won a World Cup event, she has finished third twice, once in slalom and once in giant slalom last season.

Vonn reacts with astonishment on social media, then deletes a post.

Before delivering her explanatory comment, Vonn looked angry that Shiffrin was not racing beside her.

“Why am I not surprised?” Vonn posted a shrug emoji on X after witnessing Shiffrin’s Instagram news.

Vonn erased the previous statement and replaced it with a new post on X, stating, “I am a team player and always support my team no matter what.” I am not shocked by the judgements taken, but it is evident that they are not mine. “I’ve always been supportive and respectful, and that won’t change,” Vonn added, ending with a Go USA flag emoji.

Mikaela Shiffrin reflects on her 100th World Cup victory in an in-depth interview

Mikaela Shiffrin questioned if she’d be able to compete again this season following a massive slalom collision on November 30, let alone return to the top of a World Cup podium so soon after winning her record-extending 100th career race last Sunday.

Shiffrin discussed the victory in an in-depth interview for a Stifel Snow Show episode that aired Saturday (available on the NBC Sports YouTube channel). The extended interview is at the top of this page.

“There’s so much more meaning to this one than a number or a record,” she told me. “I wouldn’t call it a relief. It’s almost surprising given what’s transpired in the previous several months. I honestly did not expect 100 to happen this season, so I am grateful.”

Shiffrin was remarkably injury-free for the first 12 years of her World Cup participation.

However, in 2024, she suffered two major crashes, including spraining her left leg ligaments in a downhill tumble in January. She missed 11 races last winter.

Then, following the November 30 collision, she was out of competition for two months. She had a penetrating wound that tore oblique muscles and almost punctured organs.

“It has been feeling very similar, to be honest, to this kind of mental fog that I had the year after my dad passed (in 2020),” she told me. “So communicating that, talking with my psychologist, talking with teammates, letting anybody and everybody kind of give me advice, and the main thing that everyone said is the only way to move through this is to get the exposure and to keep doing it (ski racing).”

Shiffrin’s upcoming events are a World Cup giant slalom and slalom in Åre, Sweden, next weekend.

She will turn 30 on March 13 before competing in the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, from March 22 to 27.