CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn is making her return to ski racing at the age of 40 with a freshly implanted titanium knee. As she reignites her competitive career, she already has an endpoint she’s aiming for. Vonn envisions competing in next year’s Olympics, which will take place on one of her cherished courses in Cortina, suggesting that it would be an ideal venue to conclude this chapter of her journey.
“I would never go past that,” Vonn remarked in a recent interview in Cortina. “It would be a great way to end things — for once and for all.” However, before reaching that goal, Vonn is focused on reclaiming her position among the top competitors in the sport.
Her journey back towards podium finishes is increasingly promising, having returned to the skiing circuit last month after nearly six years of retirement. Vonn kicked off her return with a 14th-place finish in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and subsequently improved her standings to sixth and fourth in her recent races at St. Anton, Austria. Despite this upward trajectory, she faced a setback when she fell during downhill training in Cortina but fortunately avoided serious injury.
“I don’t know if it’s possible,” Vonn expressed, reflecting on her ambitions. “I have to stay on my feet, unlike today. I need to keep things progressing, and if I can make it, it would be thrilling and a great way to kind of close the loop on my career — the second chapter of my career. However, I’m trying not to think too far ahead. I need to focus on today and tomorrow and work on refining everything.”
Vonn’s connection to Cortina runs deep; she holds the record with 12 World Cup victories there, evenly split between downhill and super-G. It is also where she celebrated her initial World Cup podium back in 2004 and broke a long-standing record by winning her 63rd World Cup event in 2015. Her final race before her first retirement in 2019 also took place in Cortina, a moment marked by emotion due to her knee pain, leading her to retire shortly thereafter.
“I have so many wonderful memories here,” Vonn recounted. “Two stand out: my first podium, which started my journey of confidence in downhill racing, and breaking the women’s win record here.” Looking ahead, Vonn is not focused on next month’s World Championships just yet.
Her previous farewell race was a bronze medal win in downhill at the 2019 World Championships in Are, Sweden, marking her eighth medal from the championships. While she could potentially add to her accolades at the upcoming worlds in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Vonn insists her current focus is solely on her performances in Cortina.
“I’m just incrementally working towards my goals,” she stated. “I need to earn a better starting number. Being among the faster competitors is vital for my chances at medals. The conditions here in Cortina are excellent, which helps, but when it comes to championships, starting position truly matters. Right now, making it back to Cortina is my main goal.”
Reflecting on her past, Vonn recalled her debut race in Saalbach back in 2002 and humorously mentioned that there might still be a VHS tape of that event somewhere.
Vonn draws inspiration from other athletes such as Tom Brady, Lewis Hamilton, and Serena Williams, all of whom have continued to excel in their respective sports well into their 30s and beyond.
“Tom, Lewis, Serena. They’ve all successfully returned,” Vonn shared. “The advancements in athlete recovery give us an edge now. Even at an older age, the recovery processes available allow for faster recuperation than what I experienced in my 20s. This shift has redefined how we view an athlete’s longevity.”
