Lindsay Vonn is back. The American skier who left an indelible mark on alpine sport has decided to break her retirement at the age of 40 to return to high competition. The ‘blame’ lies with a successful knee surgery he underwent last year. Vonn returns, and she does so with the same impetus that led her to become a skiing legend, with 82 World Cup victories, four Crystal Globes and three Olympic medals. The same one that said goodbye in 2019 with a worn and sore body, now looks to the future with a determination that many thought was exhausted. Going back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” he declared when confirming his return.
Vonn’s story cannot be told without mentioning the successes she has achieved throughout her 18-year career. The Minnesota skier redefined the standard for success in women’s skiing. She was the first American to win an Olympic gold in downhill at Vancouver 2010, and consolidated her legacy with two more medals, achieving unprecedented popularity in the sport, which led her to shine both on and off the slopes. However, her body took a toll on her dedication: knee injuries, fractures and tears accumulated over the years, forcing her to hang up her skis in 2019.
In April 2024, Vonn underwent partial knee replacement surgery, a procedure that would change the course of her life. For the first time in a decade, he was able to straighten his leg without pain, an achievement he described as “incredible.” The operation not only alleviated his chronic discomfort, but also reignited the flame of competition within him. Months later, she was seen training in New Zealand and Austria, tracks that served as her testing grounds. Rumors of his return did not take long to spark. In fact, it was even stated that he would be in the opening giant of the World Cup, in Solden. It wasn’t like that, but now, with his knee in good shape, he has decided that it is the right time to return.
The news of his return has shaken the ski world. Sophie Goldschmidt, president of the US Ski Federation, was ecstatic: “We’re excited to have her back and see how far she can go.” In Europe, Austrian coach Sepp Brunner was impressed when he saw her on the Rettenbach Glacier. “She trained with admirable ambition,” he commented in an interview in the Swiss newspaper ‘Blick’, underlining the intensity that Vonn continues to show.
Despite the expectations, Vonn is cautious. «I’m not getting too far ahead; “I have quite a few obstacles to overcome,” he declared in an interview with the ‘New York Times’. His goal is clear: return to the World Cup and, if the body responds, aim for the Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Olympic Games, a stage he knows well and where he has had memorable successes.
Once again, Vonn’s biggest obstacle will be her own body. His injuries are, in themselves, a list of exploits and falls. At the 2013 World Cup, a fall in the Super G left her with torn ligaments and a fractured tibia. Just a year later, he tore his cruciate ligament again, which prevented him from competing in the 2014 Sochi Games. Added to this was a broken ankle and a broken arm in later years.
It will be necessary to see her in her return against a terrible group of rivals led by her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin, who makes her debut this weekend in the slalom at the Finnish resort of Levi. Shiffrin surpassed Vonn’s 82 wins in January of last year before also bettering Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time record of 86 wins. Now, the Vail skier has 97.
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