Shiffrin, Vonn, 20 others, selected for Olympic Team

In breaking news on Wednesday, Jan. 24, Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn were among the 22 selected to the U.S. Olympic Alpine Team for next month’s games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

This doubtless came as a big shock to no one.

Shiffrin only leads the women’s World Cup by 843 points, has 10 wins this season, is the three-time defending world champion in slalom and won the slalom gold at the 2014 Olympics.

I’m honored to represent my country in my second Olympic Winter Games alongside some of the top athletes of the Games …,” Shiffrin said in a statement. “This has already been a wonderful season, and going to the games is almost like the cherry on top of the cake. I am very excited about getting back to Pyeongchang, and I’m looking forward to racing against so many incredible competitors on the biggest stage of them all. I will be taking it one event at a time, exactly as I do in the World Cup events.”

Vonn’s resume is rather established with 79 World Cup wins and gold in the 2010 Olympic downhill. After her right knee all but exploded during the 2013 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, she’ll be competing in her first games since 2010.

“I’m incredibly excited to be going to my fourth Olympics,” Vonn said. “I’ve been waiting for these Games since I was injured, before Sochi (Russia), so it’s been about eight years. I’m very proud to represent America, I’m proud to be on this team with so many amazing athletes, and I look forward to competing.”

For the men, reigning medalists Ted Ligety (gold, giant slalom) and Andrew Weibrecht (silver, super-G) return.

Bryce Bennett, Tommy Biesemeyer, David Chodounsky, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Mark Engel, Tommy Ford, Jared Goldberg, Tim Jitloff, Nolan Kasper, Wiley Maple and Steven Nyman round out the men’s squad.

Stacey Cook, Breezy Johnson, Megan McJames, Alice McKennis, Laurenne Ross, Resi Stiegler and Jackie Wiles are on the women’s squad.

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, cfreud@vaildaily.com and @cfreud.