The skiing legend Confident of Being 'perfectly positioned' for Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
The veteran skier had a titanium prosthesis installed in her right knee throughout her hiatus from alpine racing.
Alpine star Lindsey Vonn states she will be "in a good place" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, on the back of claiming a top-three finish for the fourth time in her last five World Cup events.
The 41-year-old, who last week set a record by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position 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 the French Alps
Racing in the iconic venue for the first time in eight years, Vonn crossed the line 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 the runner-up spot.
"I didn't quite have the right line on the initial jump," Vonn said. "After that, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my run today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was not aggressive enough."
This performance was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also claimed bronze in the downhill race on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Retirement
Vonn ended her career in February 2019 because of ongoing knee problems. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 following a partial knee replacement.
With just over six weeks remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's form are timely.
She already possesses one gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is strongly positioned to compete for the United States at the next Olympics.
"In Cortina, I will be in a good place," the athlete confirmed.
Chasing More Titles
Alongside her Games aspirations, Vonn is also hoping to add to the four overall crystal globes she has accumulated over a career spanning 20 years.
She presently enjoys a 69-point lead at the top of the overall downhill standings and is ranked fifth in the super-G World Cup table.
This current World Cup circuit features a nine more events taking place before the season finals in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
