‘I am in it for the long haul’, says Shiffrin as she skips Soldeu

PARIS — American ski superstar Mikaela Shiffrin is to miss this weekend’s World Cup meet at Soldeu because she does not wish to cut corners in her recovery from a knee injury.

The 28-year-old gave an upbeat assessment of the injury she suffered in the downhill at the Italian resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, which will host the 2026 Winter Games, in late January.

However, she wrote on her Instagram account that there was no need to rush back unnecessarily and risk further damage.

The Andorran resort of Soldeu hosts a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday. Shiffrin is on course for a sixth overall World Cup triumph — she has won seven races this campaign — as she holds a 95-point lead over Swiss rival Lara Gut-Behrami.

“I just need a bit more time to heal and re-condition,” wrote Shiffrin, who has taken her record tally of World Cup race wins to 95. “As I’ve mentioned, there was no major ligament damage and the structure within the joint of my knee looks good.”