Mikaela Shiffrin Admits She Questioned Her Future After Devastating 2024 Crash : ‘Can I Get Myself to a High Enough Level?’

Mikaela Shiffrin has built a career defined by resilience, precision, and relentless excellence. Yet even for the most decorated alpine skier in history, there was a moment following her frightening crash in late 2024 when the path forward felt uncertain.

Now, just weeks away from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Shiffrin is once again racing at the highest level. But her return to form came only after deep self-reflection, doubt, and a difficult internal battle about whether she could truly reclaim her place among the elite—particularly in giant slalom, a discipline that once felt at risk of slipping away from her entirely.

Mikaela Shiffrin in 2025, and in 2024 after crashing at the Women’s World Cup.Credit : 
Harry How/Getty; Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty

In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, the American star opened up about the mental and physical crossroads she faced after suffering a severe injury during a Women’s World Cup giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, in November 2024.

A Crash That Changed Everything

Shiffrin’s season took a terrifying turn when she crashed violently during the GS event, sustaining a puncture wound to her abdomen that measured approximately five centimeters deep—missing her colon by just a millimeter. The injury was not only physically traumatic but also mentally destabilizing, forcing her to confront questions she had never seriously entertained before.

At the time, Shiffrin was already navigating the complexities of returning from an earlier injury sustained in January 2024, when she sprained her MCL and tibiofibular ligament in a downhill crash. That incident sidelined her briefly, but she returned without surgery and resumed competition in slalom events later that season.

Mikaela Shiffrin getting taken away by ski patrol after crashing in the 2024/2025 Women’s World Cup Giant Slalom.
Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty

The November crash, however, carried heavier consequences.

“When I was coming back and I was right on the edge of losing my GS standings, that’s when the question really hit me,” Shiffrin explained. “Can I get myself back to a high enough level to even earn the World Cup points I need?”

For the first time, she seriously considered the possibility that her giant slalom career could come to an end—not because of a lack of desire, but because of the unforgiving structure of elite alpine skiing.

The Hidden Pressure of World Cup Points

To casual fans, returning from injury might seem like a matter of physical recovery. But Shiffrin revealed that the true challenge often lies in navigating the World Cup points system, which plays a decisive role in determining start positions.

World Cup points dictate a skier’s bib number, and that number can make or break a race. Higher-ranked athletes start earlier, when the course is smoother and faster. Falling outside the top 30 can place a racer at a significant disadvantage.

“When you’re injured, you can freeze your World Cup points,” Shiffrin explained. “But once you come back and start racing again, that protection disappears. You have to earn points immediately, or you risk losing your ranking.”

For Shiffrin, the margin was razor-thin.

“If I didn’t manage to keep my GS points,” she admitted, “that could have been the end of my giant slalom career. I didn’t know if I had it in me to climb all the way back again.”

The thought weighed heavily on her. Unlike slalom, where she has long dominated, GS requires a different rhythm, preparation, and confidence—elements that are difficult to rebuild without consistent race starts and training time.

Slalom First, Giant Slalom Later

Following her earlier injury in early 2024, Shiffrin returned to World Cup racing near the end of the season but limited herself to slalom events. There simply wasn’t enough time to prepare adequately for GS.

“I didn’t even attempt giant slalom at that point,” she said. “There wasn’t time to train it properly.”

Mikael Shiffrin races down the slope during the first run of women’s giant slalom during the PwC Tremblant World Cup 2025 at Mont Tremblant on Dec. 7, 2025.
Ezra Shaw/Getty

She never anticipated another serious injury so soon after. When the November crash sidelined her again, it threatened to push her GS ranking beyond recovery.

“I was basically right on the edge of dropping out of the top 30,” Shiffrin recalled. “And that’s a huge disadvantage.”

The physical pain was only part of the equation. Mentally, she had to process the possibility that one of her most successful disciplines might slip away—not due to lack of talent, but because of timing and circumstance.

Finding Her Way Back

True to her reputation, Shiffrin refused to let the doubt define her outcome. Slowly and deliberately, she worked her way back into competition, focusing on regaining confidence, consistency, and composure.

Since returning, she has delivered several strong performances, including a fifth-place finish in giant slalom at Kranjska Gora in early January. While she has yet to secure a GS victory since the crash, her progress has been steady and encouraging.

In slalom, the story has been even more impressive. Shiffrin opened the season with a six-race winning streak, reaffirming her status as the discipline’s dominant force and pushing her career World Cup win total past 100—a milestone that further cemented her legacy.

“There wasn’t as much of a mental barrier getting back to top speed in slalom,” she explained. “It’s a very different feeling compared to GS.”

Mikaela Shiffrin on the podium of the women’s slalom on Jan. 4, 2026.
Jure Makovec / AFP via Getty

Balancing Recovery and Momentum

As she continues to travel across continents chasing World Cup points, Shiffrin has leaned on routines and partnerships that help reduce stress off the slopes. She spoke about how her collaboration with United Airlines has simplified the logistical challenges of competing globally.

As a MileagePlus Card member, Shiffrin can check her skis and boots as a single bag at no additional cost—a small detail that carries real value for an athlete constantly moving between mountain venues.

“It makes getting to the mountains a lot easier,” she noted, emphasizing how reducing travel friction allows her to focus more fully on performance and recovery.

Eyes on Milan

With the 2026 Winter Olympics fast approaching, Shiffrin is realistic but optimistic about her goals. While she acknowledges that her giant slalom form is still a work in progress, she feels fully back to speed in slalom and confident in her overall trajectory.

“Medals are definitely on my mind,” she admitted. “I’m kind of in between a comeback season and an all-out push.”

Rather than overanalyzing each step, Shiffrin is embracing momentum and trusting the process that has carried her through adversity time and again.

“I’m trying to ride the wave,” she said. “Not asking too many questions. Just showing up, doing the work, and moving forward.”

Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates on the podium of the Women’s Slalom as part of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2025-2026 on Jan. 4, 2026.
Jure Makovec / AFP via Getty

For an athlete who has already conquered nearly every summit the sport can offer, Mikaela Shiffrin’s latest chapter may be one of her most defining—not because of the medals she might win, but because of the doubts she overcame to stand on the start line once more.