The American champion Assured of Being 'in a good place' for the upcoming Winter Olympics
Vonn underwent a artificial joint placed in her right knee throughout her hiatus from competitive skiing.
Legendary skier Lindsey Vonn has declared she will be "perfectly prepared" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, on the back of securing a podium spot for the fourth time in five World Cup events.
The veteran athlete, who last week set a record by becoming the most senior racer to win a downhill World Cup winner, finished third in the super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This was her one hundred and forty-second career World Cup top-three result.
Impressive Performance in Val d'Isere
Racing in 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 didn't quite have the right line on the initial jump," Vonn said. "From that point on, I performed strongly. I'm happy with my performance today, in contrast to in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was not aggressive enough."
This result was her second podium at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill on Saturday.
An Incredible Return from Retirement
Vonn stepped away from competition in February 2019 because of ongoing knee problems. However, she made a stunning return in late 2024 after a partial knee replacement.
With less than two months remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are scheduled for 6-22 February, Vonn's performances are highly promising.
She has 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 fully ready," Vonn affirmed.
Chasing More Titles
In addition to her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has won over a career spanning two decades.
She currently holds a substantial 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 features a total of nine races scheduled before the circuit finale in Norway on 21 March 2026.