The skiing legend Confident of Being 'in a good place' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
The veteran skier underwent a surgical implant fitted to her right knee throughout her time away from alpine racing.
Legendary skier Lindsey Vonn states she will be "in an excellent position" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, on the back of earning a podium spot for the fourth time in her last five World Cup events.
The 41-year-old, who achieved a milestone by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, came in third place in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup podium finish.
Strong Return in Val d'Isere
Competing at the iconic venue for the first time in almost a decade, Vonn crossed the line in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was just over a third of a second behind victor Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson securing the runner-up spot.
"I didn't quite have enough direction on the first jump," Vonn said. "From that point on, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my skiing today, unlike 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 during the event, having also taken third in the downhill on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Injury
Vonn stepped away from competition in early 2019 due to ongoing knee problems. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 following a major knee surgery.
With less than two months remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are set to run from 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 firmly on track to compete for the United States at the next Olympics.
"At the Olympics, I will be fully ready," Vonn affirmed.
Chasing More Titles
In addition to her Games aspirations, Vonn is also hoping to add to the four World Cup titles she has secured over a professional journey spanning 20 years.
She presently enjoys a substantial lead at the summit of the overall downhill standings and is ranked fifth in the super-G World Cup table.
This season's World Cup circuit includes a total of nine races taking place before the circuit finale in Kvitfjell, Norway on 21 March 2026.
