Shiffrin takes issue with comments from Vonn and Miller

ARE, Sweden – Mikaela Shiffrin has taken issue with comments by Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller questioning her decision to sit out several events at the world championships.

After winning the super-G on Tuesday, Shiffrin left Are to refocus for the giant slalom and slalom next week. That meant she didn’t race the Alpine combined – an event she would have been the overwhelming favorite for – and will also miss the downhill and team event.

“I’m flattered by some recent comments by Bode and Lindsey saying that they think I would have been a contender in 5 events this World Champs,” Shiffrin wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Saturday. “However, as the one who has been trying to race in every discipline this season, and who has won in 5 disciplines this season alone, I can tell you that not a single one of those wins was “easy”. There is no such thing as an easy win.”

Shiffrin is well on her way to a third straight overall World Cup title and has become a multi-event skier in the model of Vonn (a four-time overall champion) and Miller (a two-time overall winner) – her fellow Americans and two of her biggest idols growing up,.

“She could have won everything,” Vonn said Friday . “I’m a racer and I want to race in every single race that I possibly can. I respect her decision. It’s obviously her decision. But she has the potential and 100 percent the capability of getting a medal in all five disciplines. So I don’t personally understand it.”

Miller was also perplexed by Shiffrin’s choice.

“Her group around her they make decisions that they feel are best. … It’s not for me to criticize those but I would have her racing for sure,” Miller, at the worlds as a TV analyst, said.