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Vonn has a big World Championship dream: “I would love to …”

"I would love to race with Mikaela, that would be great and I think it would probably be one of the coolest things ever," says Lindsey Vonn.(Bild: GEPA)

Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn could form a US dream team in the combined team event at the World Ski Championships. At least that's what Vonn would like for the premiere of the two-man event consisting of downhill and slalom in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. "I would love to race with Mikaela, that would be great and I think it would probably be one of the coolest things ever," the 40-year-old told the German Press Agency, adding: "I've already said that to the coaches."

Shiffrin, with 99 victories to date, and Vonn, with 82, are by far the most successful female racers in the Ski World Cup. While Vonn was the best downhill racer in the world for years and recently made her comeback after a break of almost six years, Shiffrin has been the ultimate in slalom for several winters. The two US stars have never competed together in a team before.

However, Shiffrin injured her stomach in a fall at the end of November. She wants to return to the World Cup on Thursday at the slalom in Courchevel. That would be just in time for the World Championships, which begin next week. In Saalbach, a team combination is on the program for the first time, in which two athletes compete together: One skis a downhill, the other a slalom. The combined fastest skiers will win the medals.