Article by Luminița Paul – Published on Sunday, December 21, 2025, 2:22 p.m. / Updated on Sunday, December 21, 2025, 2:23 p.m.
American skier Lindsey Vonn (41 years old) finished third in the Val d'Isere World Cup downhill race, only 35 hundredths behind the winner, Cornelia Huetter (33 years old) from Austria and then in the Super-G, behind Sofia Goggia and Alice Robinson.
Few would have expected such a spectacular and consistent return of Lindsey Vonn to competitive skiing. Entering the current season at 41 years oldwith his right knee reinforced following an operation in which he was fitted with titanium implants, has already collected five remarkable runs in the last ten days.
They ended like this: 1st place, 2nd place, 4th place, 3rd place and 3rd place. For Saturday, in the downhill stage of the World Cup in Val d'Isere, the multi-medalist athlete may have regrets: an error committed in the second part of the route cost her half a second, as she herself estimated.
He finally crossed the finish line 35 hundredths ahead of the winner, Cornelia Huetter from Austria. “If someone had asked me last year, at this time, I would have said that I'm happy even if I get on the podium just once“, she declared at the end of the competition in France. The next day, at the Super-G, she repeated the ranking, this time 36 hundredths behind the Italian Sofia Goggia.
It's been exactly one year since he made his comeback, and at first things didn't work out. There were 12 World Cup races without a podium finish. The same thing happened in the two trials he competed in in February, at the World Championships. In the end, he managed to take second place at the Sun Valley Super-G, and the start of the current season is much stronger.
“I know I'm fast. There are many things I can be happy about” Vonn said, as quoted by the AP. For now, she has extended her lead in the World Cup downhill standings with three of nine events already sealed.
However, returning to Val d'Isere, he objectively and without concessions weighed his evolution. “I'm mad at myself for making a mistake. I made a mistake here, a mistake there and that's why I don't win“, appreciated the American. “But when you go fast, anything can happen“, she admitted.
Lindsey Vonn, with Cornelia Huetter and Kira Weidle-Winklemann Photo: Imago Images
Right behind Vonn was Huetter, who moved ahead by 26 hundredths over Weidle-Winkleman and 35 over Vonn. The American congratulated the Austrian with a smile and a hug.
Lindsey Vonn and the Olympics: 'Were you born before my first Games?'
Lindsey Vonn's return to competition came after a break of almost six seasons, with the aim of performing as well as possible at Milan-Cortina Olympic Games (February 6-22, 2026)her fifth edition. His record includes a downhill gold medal at Vancouver 2010 and two downhill bronzes at Pyeongchang 2018 and Super-G 2010.
But the first participation was in 2002, at Salt Lake Citywhile one of the current rivals, the German Emma Aicher, had not even been born.
“The reference point is, 'Were you born before my first Games?'” Lindsey said with a laugh in Val d'Isere. “If the answer is, 'No!', then I know I'm a lot older. It's funnyVonn added.
Summary of the downhill race from Val d'Isere
The most important target, the Olympic Games, is not so far away, but there is a short break for the speed trial specialists, which will resume on January 10, 2026 in the World Cup. “I can't wait, I also need rest. There are still 49 days until the Games start and I know I will be ready“, she concluded.
