It is January 2026, and the alpine skiing world is vibrating. If you’d asked anyone five years ago if we’d see Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin sharing a starting gate again, they would’ve called you delusional. Vonn was retired. Her knees were essentially bone-on-bone. Shiffrin was busy methodically dismantling every record in existence.
But here we are.
With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina just weeks away, the narrative has shifted from "who was better" to a surreal reality where both are actively winning. Just days ago, Shiffrin notched her 107th World Cup win in Flachau. Meanwhile, a 41-year-old Vonn, sporting a titanium-reinforced partial knee replacement, just grabbed her 84th career win in Zauchensee. It's honestly kind of nuts.
The Comeback That Defied Biology
Most people think Vonn’s return is a PR stunt. It’s not. When she retired in 2019, she famously said her body was "broken beyond repair." She wasn't exaggerating. Years of high-speed crashes in downhill—the "NASCAR on ice" of skiing—had left her right knee a wreckage of scar tissue and arthritis.
Everything changed in April 2024. Vonn underwent a Mako robotic-assisted partial knee replacement. Most surgeons tell civilians to avoid high-impact sports after that. Vonn decided to hurl herself down icy mountains at 80 mph instead.
Her results this season have been baffling:
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- Four podiums in four downhill starts.
- Two World Cup victories (bringing her total to 84).
- Oldest woman ever to win a World Cup race.
She isn't just "participating." She is a legitimate medal favorite for the Olympic downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo—the very track where she secured her first podium back in 2004. It’s a full-circle moment that feels scripted, yet the grit required to get there is entirely real.
Shiffrin’s Unprecedented Peak
While Vonn is fighting against time, Mikaela Shiffrin is fighting against history. At 30 years old, Shiffrin has reached a level of statistical dominance that makes the "GOAT" debate feel almost settled in her favor, at least on paper.
As of mid-January 2026, Shiffrin sits at 107 World Cup wins. To put that in perspective, the legendary Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86—which stood for decades—now looks like a distant memory. Shiffrin hasn't just passed the mark; she’s laping the field.
The most striking difference between the two? Precision versus Power. Vonn was always about the "fall line"—taking the most direct, dangerous, and aggressive path possible. Shiffrin is a technician. Her slalom and giant slalom turns are so efficient they look boring until you see the clock. She’s won in every discipline, but her 70 slalom wins are what truly separate her from every other human who has ever strapped on skis.
The "Rivalry" That Isn't
There’s a common misconception that Vonn and Shiffrin don't like each other. The media loves a "clash of the titans" narrative, but the reality is more nuanced. They aren't best friends, but there is a profound, albeit quiet, mutual respect.
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Vonn recently called Shiffrin "the best skier that has ever lived." That’s a massive admission from someone as competitive as Lindsey. Shiffrin, for her part, has always been vocal about how Vonn’s commercial success and "speed queen" persona paved the way for the current generation's visibility.
They actually only shared a World Cup podium once in their entire careers before Vonn’s first retirement (Cortina 2018). Why? Because they specialized in different things. Vonn owned the Speed (Downhill/Super-G), and Shiffrin owned the Tech (Slalom/GS).
The Career Comparison (As of Jan 13, 2026)
Mikaela Shiffrin
- World Cup Wins: 107
- Overall Titles (Big Globes): 5
- Olympic Medals: 3 (2 Gold, 1 Silver)
- World Championship Medals: 15
- Strengths: Slalom mastery, technical consistency, durability.
Lindsey Vonn
- World Cup Wins: 84
- Overall Titles (Big Globes): 4
- Olympic Medals: 3 (1 Gold, 2 Bronze)
- World Championship Medals: 8
- Strengths: Downhill dominance, high-speed risk-taking, resilience after injury.
What to Watch for in Milano-Cortina 2026
This Olympics is the first time we will see them both as genuine threats in the same Games since 2018. But don't expect them to go head-to-head in every race.
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Vonn is focusing almost exclusively on the Downhill. Her knee can handle the long, sweeping turns of a speed course better than the violent, rapid-fire pivots required for slalom. She wants that second Olympic Gold to bookend her career.
Shiffrin is the favorite in Slalom and Giant Slalom, but she’s also been testing the waters in Super-G again. There is even talk of them potentially teaming up for the Team Combined event—an idea Vonn floated in 2025, calling it "one of the coolest things ever." Imagine a team where Vonn handles the downhill leg and Shiffrin handles the slalom. It would be an almost guaranteed gold for Team USA.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're following the lead-up to the Games, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the Knees: Vonn’s comeback is a medical miracle, but it's fragile. Any crash on that titanium joint is a season-ender. Her training load is heavily managed.
- The "Wins" Context: Don't just look at the total number. Shiffrin has more wins, but Vonn’s 45 downhill wins are a record that may never be broken. They are masters of different universes.
- The Cortina Factor: This track is Lindsey’s backyard. She has 12 wins there. If she’s going to win one last Olympic medal, it will be on this specific mountain.
- Shiffrin's Schedule: Watch if Mikaela enters the speed events. If she skips the downhill to save energy for tech, it opens the door for Vonn to be the sole American story in the speed category.
We are living through a "bonus" era of alpine skiing. Having the two greatest American skiers of all time competing simultaneously—one at her peak and one in a defiant twilight—is something we probably won't see again in our lifetime.
To follow the journey to the 2026 Games, track the FIS World Cup standings through the end of January. The final races in Špindlerův Mlýn and Cortina will determine the official Olympic seeding. For Vonn, the goal is simply to stay in the top 10 of the downhill rankings to ensure a late start number; for Shiffrin, it’s about maintaining the overall lead for her sixth Big Crystal Globe.