When skier Petra Vlhova announced her last-gasp attempt at making it to Milano-Cortina, it was enough to shake up the field and introduce some uncertainty to Mikaela Shiffrin’s gold medal chances. That is, another contender entered the picture a few days ago to shake things up even more.

According to a report from Flashscore, Italy’s winter sports federation (FISI) has included Federica Brignone on its team for the giant slalom in Kronplatz this week.

After participating in training runs to evaluate her condition, Brignone was deemed fit enough to participate in the giant slalom, where she finished seventh after the opening run. Shiffrin finished fourth, while reigning Olympic champ Sara Hector led the field.

The 35-year-old Italian, who is a World Cup champion, giant slalom world title holder, and the reigning Olympic silver medalist, has not raced since suffering a double leg fracture of her tibia and fibula last April at the Italian ski championships.

And so, Brignone kept her expectations tempered ahead of her return to competition. “I’m not here to test myself, but to test my mind, my body, my leg above all. And I’m definitely not here for a great result, but for a great result for myself,” she revealed in a recent press conference.

Though she’s had little time to regain match fitness, Brignone’s aim was always to make it back in time for her home Olympics. But after a long road to recovery, the Italian had a few nerves to shake out.

“When I stuck my poles out, I said to myself, ‘I’m not sure if I’m ready.’ My hand was shaking,” said Brignone. “I started off quite rigid, which makes it tough in these conditions. But then I remembered to breathe after the first checkpoint and then it went a bit better.”

As for Shiffrin, while the American skier has dominated slalom, recently securing her 107th World Cup win in Flachau, giant slalom will pose the true test. Shiffrin hasn’t podiumed in the discipline since before her injury in November 2024. Brignone, on the other hand, could pose a challenge if she can regain some of the form that won her silver in Beijing and bronze in PyeongChang in time.

Last year, the two participated in the World Championships in Saalbach, where they competed head-to-head in giant slalom. While Shiffrin finished 25th after competing in the category after 12 years, Brignone took gold, beating New Zealander Alice Robinson by just 0.40 seconds.

Keeping her mind clear ahead of her comeback, Brignone said, “I’ll never be the same as before. But I can try to get the maximum from what my leg allows. That’s my objective.”

Her coach, who is also her brother, David Brignone, filled in with details, saying, “As things stand, we’re certain Federica will be on the start line at the Olympic races. Everything else will be evaluated day by day, as it has been over the past nine months.”

So, with the competition heating up right before the Milano-Cortina Olympic Games, just a month ago, Shiffrin confirmed her mindset heading into the giant slalom.

Mikaela Shiffrin is upfront about the challenges the giant slalom poses

Even for someone with more than 100 World Cup wins, like Mikaela Shiffrin, there’s a certain weakness that she doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge. While her slalom record is impeccable, things get trickier when it comes to giant slalom. But looking ahead at the Olympic Games, she is ready to face this challenge.

“I have some work I want to accomplish with (giant slalom). The super-G was such a positive step, so I want to get some training there too. But it’s time for a little bit of recovery as well after the last nine weeks,” she said to The Athletic after her 105th career World Cup in Courchevel.

She has been working on her weaknesses, but it has come after a lot of effort, after she suffered a horrifying injury a little over a year ago. In November 2024 in Killington, she suffered an almost three-inch puncture hole in her lower abdomen.

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This almost hit her colon and required immediate surgery. The recovery process was challenging, but she made it through and now sees the giant slalom as the goal.

Talking about her recent wins, she also said, “You want to level up the incredible moments, but you also want to level up the baseline. This whole beginning of the season has been increasing my baseline of what I tolerate in giant slalom skiing and the speed that I tolerate and the tempo and everything.”

Mikaela Shiffrin isn’t running away from challenges; she is embracing them.