The 100th World Cup victory of her career, a milestone that seemed unfathomable just a few years ago, will happen. But the when is, for now, irrelevant.
Less than three months ago, Shiffrin could barely sit up, her oblique muscles shredded after suffering a puncture wound in a crash during a giant slalom race. Two months before she and Breezy Johnson won the team combined at the world championships, she still had a drainage tube in her side.
Shiffrin will win again. For now, it’s enough that she’s racing again, trying to work herself back into shape and into contention at the same time.
The World Cup circuit resumes this weekend with three races in Sestriere, Italy. There are giant slaloms Friday and Saturday, and a slalom Sunday.
“It’s sort of strange to balance the feeling of, ‘I just want to make progress,’ and then the feeling of where do the medals fit into that?” Shiffrin said Saturday, after finishing fifth in the slalom at the world championships.
“Winning one gold (at worlds) was out-of-this world-beyond expectations,” she said. “In the end, today was something I can learn from, and hopefully continue to recover well for the rest of the season.”
Shiffrin has been fortunate to avoid serious injuries for most of her career. There was a knee injury that cost her two months in 2016, and back issues that have flared up sporadically.
But the last two seasons have been a test for her durability.
She missed six weeks last season after injuring her knee and ankle in a crash. Then, on Nov. 30, on the verge of getting that 100th World Cup win, Shiffrin crashed during the second run of the GS in Killington, Vermont.
Whatever stabbed her – she still isn’t sure what it was – narrowly missed her colon but tore a gash through several layers of her oblique muscles. Shiffrin needed a second surgery to ward off an infection, then did several weeks of intense rehab. She didn’t get back on skis until early January.
“For sure, the last two years have been the biggest proof to the world about how much can go wrong, even when you think you’re doing everything right,” Shiffrin said. “It makes it a little bit scary to move forward because everything feels so unknown. But I guess that’s the mentality we take. I’m going to try to become comfortable with that, that unknown feeling.”
Shiffrin returned to the World Cup circuit Jan. 30 for the slalom race in Courchevel, France. Though she finished a respectable 10th, she noted the high, mid-season level the top women were at, and that it would take time to catch back up to them.
That was evident at the world championships. Though she has flashes of her aggressive yet fluid style, it’s not there over an entire run. Her endurance isn’t there yet, either, particularly noticeable in the second run of the individual slalom race.
“When I was coming down the final pitch today I was like, ‘Oh no,’” Shiffrin said.
But she is getting closer. Shiffrin finished a mere 0.05 seconds off the podium in the individual slalom. She had the third-fastest time in the combined slalom run.
“All the other athletes are fighting and on their top form, and I’m trying to figure out where I even stand,” Shiffrin said. “That’s been maybe one of the biggest learning experiences of my career and I think it will continue through the end of the season.
“But for now, this was a huge step forward.”
After this weekend’s races, the only tech races left before the World Cup finals are a slalom and a GS in Are, Sweden, on March 8-9. The World Cup finals are March 20-27 in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Shiffrin said last weekend she plans to try to do the GS races in Sestriere. Maybe she’ll contend for a spot on the podium, maybe she won’t.
“Perspective is important. But still, we’re here and I want to do well. It’s balancing athletic performance and the hopes and the dreams,” Shiffrin said. “It takes time. That’s that, I guess.”
For now, it’s enough.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
