With just 19 days to go until the Milano‑Cortina Olympics, Mikaela Shiffrin’s hopes for gold are looking strong. Or they were, until Petra Vlhova, one of her biggest rivals threw a potential spanner in the works with her last-minute announcement.

After two years spent rehabbing from torn knee ligaments, the reigning Olympic slalom champion has finally been cleared to return. Wasting to no time at all, Vlhova, 30, is back on the slopes and dreaming big. Really big.

“I’ve just completed a medical check-up and, based on the results, my medical team and physiotherapists have cleared me for full skiing intensity. After two very challenging years, this is truly wonderful news for me,” she announced on Instagram. “Given the current situation, it might sound a bit crazy, but despite how little time is left until the Olympics, I have decided to fight for the chance to compete.”

“I cannot guarantee that I will reach this goal, but I can promise you that I will do my absolute best every single day to earn the chance to be part of the Slovak Olympic team and represent our country.  I will be training hard, taking it  day by day  and closely monitoring  how my knee responds to the  load,” she continued.

Her shock return comes after a serious setback in January 2024. During a giant slalom race at her home hill in Jasna, Slovakia, Vlhova crashed hard, tearing the ligaments in her right knee, including the ACL and meniscus. In no time, the injury ended her World Cup season and recovery was far from smooth.

Petra Vlhova underwent knee reconstruction surgery to repair the torn ligaments. But despite months of intensive rehab, her knee did not fully heal due to cartilage problems, which led to a second surgery in early 2025.

This setback meant she missed the entire 2024-25 World Cup season as well as the World Alpine Skiing Championships in Saalbach. But soon after her second surgery, Vlhova slowly rebuilt her strength.

She trained off the slopes, spending months in gyms, riding bikes, swimming, and strengthening her injured leg to prepare it for full skiing loads. Now, she is back in the full swing of training but remains cautious about her chances.

“With respect to my body, I will make the final decision about competing for 48 hours before the slalom race…” She also expressed heartfelt thanks to the alpine skiing community for their support, ending with a hopeful, “Keep your fingers crossed for me and let’s do it.”

Well, the women’s Olympic slalom begins on 18 February, and Petra Vlhova’s return has sparked excitement across the skiing world as fans, rivals, and colleagues alike shared their congratulations, thrilled to see her back and ready to compete again.

Petra Vlhova’s comeback fires up fans as Shiffrin rivalry heats up ahead of Olympics

Mikaela Shiffrin, her biggest rival, commented, “🥹🤞.” Given what Shiffrin has been through, it’s easy to see why. In late 2024, in a giant slalom at Killington,  Shiffrin lost control, tumbled over her skis and crashed into the safety fencing, suffering a deep puncture wound in her abdomen and severe muscle trauma.

Now, with both athletes healthy and potentially racing again at the Milano Cortina Olympics, it might not be so easy for the American. Shiffrin and Vlhova are close opponents; both their races are usually decided by the smallest of margins.

For instance, in 2022, at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Petra Vlhova staged a dramatic comeback in the second run of the Olympic slalom after being eighth fastest in the first, ultimately winning gold.

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Shiffrin, one of the favorites, crashed out in her first run and did not finish, making Vlhova’s victory even more memorable. With that, Vlhova won Slovakia’s first Olympic alpine skiing medal outside biathlon or snowboarding.

Outside the Olympics, their head-to-head battles have been intense. In the Courchevel night slalom in December 2023, Vlhova overcame a deficit to beat Shiffrin by just 0.24 seconds under challenging conditions. Shiffrin has now won around 70 World Cup slalom races and Petra Vlhova has at least 22 World Cup slalom wins before her injury hiatus.

Lindsey Vonn commented, “Amazing news!!!” Vonn knows the struggles of major injuries firsthand. Throughout her career, she faced multiple knee and leg injuries, including a severe knee surgery that almost ended her career. Yet she returned to compete at the highest level, winning World Cup races even at age 41.

Another fan added, “Very excited Peti, we’ll be cheering for you as always. Good luck and health ❤️” Even Audi Slovensko commented, “Peti, we keep our fingers crossed for you and we are very excited. 🫶 Let’s do this! 🔥”.

Sara Hector, Swedish World Cup alpine ski racer, commented, “Wooow!!! So fun to hear!! 🔥🙏🙏🙏🙏🤩🤩🤩” Another fan added, ” Yes! Keeping my fingers crossed! 🔥”

From a technical perspective, Petra Vlhova’s path to the 2026 Winter Olympics is open. Slovakia currently holds two female alpine ski quota spots, and Vlhova, one of the country’s best skiers, is allowed to take one if she meets the selection criteria.

As she returns, with the support of the fans and her team, Petra Vlhova could set up one of the most eagerly anticipated slalom battles in recent memory, renewing her bitter rivalry with Shiffrin.