2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships: Mikaela Shiffrin unable to defend combined title

Mikaela Shiffrin had overhauled her deficit to Federica Brignone before skiing out at the end of her run

Mikaela Shiffrin was unable to defend her world combined title after she skied out of the slalom in Meribel.

American six-time world champion Shiffrin, 27, looked set to claim gold in France before she straddled the third-to-last gate in her slalom run.

Federica Brignone, who had earlier set the fastest super-G time, became the first Italian to win gold in the event.

Shiffrin skied out of her first two races at the Beijing Olympics 12 months ago, where she failed to win a medal.

However, she said she "didn't really think about that" following this disappointment, which comes after a season in which she has won 11 World Cup races.

That form, which included five slalom wins, has taken her to 85 World Cup victories - one behind the all-time record for men or women held by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

"I'm not afraid if it happens again," Shiffrin said.

"What if I don't finish every run? What happened last year, I survived," she added.

"I've had some pretty amazing races this season. I would take the season I've had with no medals at the World Championships. If it's either-or, then I'd take that. I'm happy with it.

"Unfortunately you also have to face the side of the sport where it doesn't work, you don't finish, everyone's disappointed. That's the negative side, or the sad side, but overall it's been such an insane, amazing season."

Shiffrin will next contest the super-G on Wednesday, with the giant slalom and the slalom events to follow next week.

Should she triumph in any of those events, she would equal the achievements of Austrian Toni Sailer, Frenchwoman Marielle Goitschel and Swede Anja Paerson in winning seven individual world golds.