The American champion Optimistic of Being 'in a good place' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
Vonn underwent a titanium prosthesis placed in her right knee throughout her break from alpine racing.
Legendary skier Lindsey Vonn asserts she will be "in an excellent position" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, after earning a top-three finish for the fourth instance in her last five World Cup competitions.
The 41-year-old, who recently made history by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, finished third 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
Returning to the iconic venue for the first time in eight years, Vonn finished the course in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was 0.36 seconds behind victor Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking second place.
"I was slightly lacking enough direction 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 overly cautious."
This result was her second top-three finish at Val d'Isere during the event, having also finished third in the downhill on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Injury
Vonn stepped away from competition in early 2019 as a result of ongoing knee problems. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 following a major knee surgery.
With less than two months remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are set to run from February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's form are highly promising.
She has one gold and two bronze medals in her collection and is strongly positioned to represent the United States at the next Olympics.
"When we get to Cortina, I will be where I need to be," Vonn affirmed.
Aiming for Further Glory
Alongside her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has secured over a career spanning 20 years.
She currently holds a 69-point lead at the summit of the downhill World Cup rankings and is ranked fifth in the super-G World Cup table.
This season's World Cup campaign includes a total of nine races taking place before the season finals in Norway on March 21st, 2026.
