Lindsey Vonn Optimistic of Being 'in a good place' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn had a titanium prosthesis installed in her right knee during her hiatus from alpine racing.
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn states she will be "perfectly prepared" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, after claiming a top-three finish for the fourth instance in her last five World Cup races.
The veteran athlete, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position in the super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her 142nd career World Cup podium finish.
Strong Return in Val d'Isere
Racing in the iconic venue for the first occasion in almost a decade, Vonn finished the course in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was just over a third of a second behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking second place.
"I was slightly lacking enough direction on the initial jump," the skier commented. "From that point on, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my performance today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was not aggressive enough."
This result was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also claimed bronze in the downhill on Saturday.
A Remarkable Comeback from Injury
Vonn stepped away from competition in early 2019 because of ongoing knee problems. However, she made a stunning return in December 2024 following a major knee surgery.
With just over six weeks remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are set to run from 6-22 February, Vonn's form are timely.
She has one gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is strongly positioned to compete for the United States at the 2026 Games.
"At the Olympics, I will be fully ready," Vonn affirmed.
Chasing More Titles
Alongside her Olympic ambitions, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has won over a career spanning two decades.
She presently enjoys a substantial lead at the summit of the overall downhill standings and is sitting in fifth place in the overall super-G standings.
This current World Cup circuit includes a total of nine races taking place before the circuit finale in Kvitfjell, Norway on March 21st, 2026.