Lindsey Vonn Assured of Being 'perfectly positioned' for Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
Vonn had a titanium prosthesis placed in her right knee throughout her break from competitive skiing.
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn states she will be "in a good place" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, on the back of securing a place on the rostrum for the fourth instance in her last five World Cup events.
The 41-year-old, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This was her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup top-three result.
Impressive Performance in Val d'Isere
Returning to the iconic venue for the first time in almost a decade, Vonn finished the course in a time of 1:20.60. She was just over a third of a second behind victor Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking second place.
"I was slightly lacking the right line on the initial jump," Vonn remarked. "After that, I skied well. I'm satisfied with my performance today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was overly cautious."
This result was her second podium at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill on Saturday.
A Remarkable Comeback from Retirement
Vonn ended her career in February 2019 due to persistent injuries. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 after a major knee surgery.
With just over six weeks remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's form are highly promising.
She already possesses an Olympic gold and two Olympic bronze medals from previous Games and is strongly positioned to represent the United States at the 2026 Games.
"When we get to Cortina, I will be in a good place," the athlete confirmed.
Chasing More Titles
In addition to her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four overall crystal globes she has won over a career spanning two decades.
She currently holds a 69-point lead at the top of the downhill World Cup rankings and is sitting in fifth place in the super-G World Cup table.
This current World Cup campaign includes a total of nine races taking place before the season finals in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
