“Step by Step”—Mikaela Shiffrin Is Taking a “Realistic” Approach Before the 2026 Milan-Cortina Race

Mikaela Shiffrin is “motivated” yet “realistic” about her chances in the World Cup before the Olympics.

The two-time Olympic champion talked about how her giant slalom skills have improved since last season’s problems and why she doesn’t want to give up on her super-G Olympic “dream.”

Mikaela Shiffrin, a star in US alpine skiing, said that capturing a sixth overall World Cup title is “a beautiful thing to dream about” and that “those dreams haven’t stopped for me.” However, she also noted that she still has a lot of “uncertainties” ahead of the 2025/26 season.

“I feel just as driven as ever.” The 30-year-old said during an online press conference on Wednesday (22 October), “I also feel realistic about the position I’m in right now.”

Shiffrin will make her season debut on Saturday in the classic giant slalom (GS) competition in Sölden, Austria. She said she doesn’t feel “at the top of the fastest athletes,” especially in a discipline where she has struggled since she hurt her stomach in Killington last year.

The American woman, who had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her crash, said she focused on GS training over the summer and can already see improvements: “I feel like I can be in the mix when I ski my best and most confident, which happens sometimes but not all the time.” But it’s been an amazing trip from the end of last season, when I felt completely disconnected from my body and mind, to where I am now, where I feel like I’m more in control of the changes I’m making and where I want to be skiing.

The double Olympic champion is still “realistic” and wants to take things “step by step” from here on out. “I think there will be improvements to make probably every single race this season, and I think everybody’s going to be at the top of their game going into an important year.” So I’m not assuming anything. We will just have to wait and see where I am. “Things are very unclear right now, so we’ll see.”

Mikaela Shiffrin’s Reaction to Losing the Podium at a Skiing Event Is Unanticipated

“This was a spectacular day for our team,” Mikaela Shiffrin stated on Saturday, following Team USA’s silver medal at the World Cup season opener in Sölden, Austria. However, Shiffrin narrowly missed the podium in the giant slalom event, despite the fact that the United States had three athletes in the top six. Nevertheless, Shiffrin was noticeably overjoyed with her accomplishment, despite the fact that she finished only 0.31 seconds behind the bronze medalist.

After crossing the finishing line at the iconic Rettenbach racecourse, Shiffrin’s ecstatic jubilation was shared on the official Audi FIS Ski World CUP social media account. A brief video clip of Shiffrin’s thunderous screams in jubilation following her accomplishments at the European pitstop of the 2025-26 World Cup was shared in the Instagram post. “I am overjoyed to have finished fourth this year.” The American, through one of her media managers, Megan Harrod, stated, “It’s a really, really good step, and I have improvements to make still.”

Shiffrin had previously stated that the giant slalom was one of her primary priorities during the offseason preparations. “Every aspect of today was a tremendous accomplishment.” We will conduct an analysis and continue to progress. However, the sensation of skiing the course and performing the activity that she desires is an extremely satisfying experience, she stated when discussing the confidence increase that the Rettenbach run provided.

Last season, she was compelled to observe her teammates from the sidelines for the majority of the season as a result of injuries. It is entirely reasonable that she is this time determined to atone for her actions. “I was prepared for any situation and simply focused on executing the skiing.” It is a source of exhilaration to be aware that I am capable of performing well in the ski race, beginning with bib 20. She stated, “I have the ability to advance in the ranks,” following the race.

“My objective during the second run was to allow the course to guide me and to feel a sense of repose. Mikaela Shiffrin further discussed how she was resolute in her plans, despite her unusually slow start in the World Cup season opener, stating, “That’s really, really difficult to do, especially if you’re not 100% confident.” “The final step is to incorporate the race mentality,” she said with a smile.

Mikaela Shiffrin discloses her objectives for the Olympic year.

The Winter Olympics will be held in February of the following year, immediately preceding the FIS World Cup finals. However, Shiffrin acknowledges that the skiers’ perspective differs from that of the majority of athletes worldwide, who will undoubtedly center their attention on the Olympics.

“I am not aware of many ski racers who prioritize the Olympic Games over their World Cup performance.” Most of us believe that the more consistently you perform throughout the World Cup season, the more momentum, confidence, and competency you will have to bring to the Games. Living within that narrative can be challenging. The youngest slalom gold medalist in Olympic history stated, “And still prioritize the things that are most important to you as an athlete.”

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Diptarko Paul is a Senior Writer at EssentiallySports, where she specializes in exceptional performances in Olympic sports. He has eight years of editorial experience, which has been influenced by a profound comprehension of both traditional and emerging sports, and is a State Championship swimming qualifier. His professional experience encompasses the development of editorial narratives at Yahoo India and the strategic direction of content at Coinbase. He has conducted a comprehensive examination of the esports ecosystem and American sports. Diptarko was a critical member of the Paris Olympics trends desk at EssentiallySports, where he assisted in the development of the coverage strategy and monitored the emergence of new narratives. Diptarko is a graduate of the esteemed Journalistic Excellence Program at EssentiallySports, where he was mentored by industry professionals to enhance his narrative and reporting abilities.