Mikaela Shiffrin to miss Lech World Cup this weekend due to 'frustrating' back injury

ByRichard Newman

Updated 10/11/2021 at 09:47 GMT

The United States ski star is still struggling with a back problem she picked up during her win at the Solden World Cup last month, meaning she will miss the next event in Lech. Her coach, Mike Day, says Shiffrin is working hard on her rehab, but says it has not been "working" when she has tried to ski.

Mikaela Shiffrin will not compete at this week's World Cup event in Lech because of a back injury, though her coach says it is not on her schedule anyway.

The American ski star, who is one of the favourites to strike gold at the Winter Olympics in Beijing this February, picked up the troublesome issue during her giant slalom victory in Solden last month.

Shiffrin has been unable to ski properly since, and mentor Mike Day says her recovery is progressing slowly.

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"She is not looking to ski in Lech but that was never on the plan. Preparing for five events is just too difficult," May told AFP.

"It's progressing in a positive way. Unfortunately she couldn't manage it when we attempted to train shortly after Solden.

"Since then [she has] just been rehabbing and trying to ski but it was not working."

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Shiffrin has already indicated that Lech was unlikely to be in her plans during a conversation with the Associated Press at the weekend, saying she needs to be patient with her recovery.

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"I just need to let it heal. It doesn't take that long if I just take the time. But I want to be training right now. So I take a day, and then I'm like, 'All right, maybe it's good enough; I can go out and ski.′ And then I go out and ski and I take a few turns, and I'm like, 'Ow. It's really painful.'

It just takes a little bit to be able to really push on my skis with full-on intensity, which is frustrating, because right now, this is the bulk of time where I would normally be training all four events.

With just three months to go until the Games, Shiffrin is taking a cautious approach - as she targets medals in every individual race - the slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super-G and the combined.

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