Lindsey Vonn had a titanium prosthesis placed in her right knee throughout her hiatus from alpine racing.
Alpine star Lindsey Vonn states she will be "perfectly prepared" for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, after securing a podium spot for the fourth instance in her last five World Cup competitions.
The 41-year-old, who recently made history by becoming the most senior racer to win a downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her 142nd career World Cup top-three result.
Returning to the iconic venue for the first occasion in almost a decade, Vonn crossed the line in a time of one minute 20.60 seconds. She was just over a third of a second behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson taking the runner-up spot.
"I didn't quite have the right line on the first jump," the skier commented. "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 top-three finish at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill on Saturday.
Vonn officially retired in early 2019 due to persistent injuries. However, she returned to racing in late 2024 following a major knee surgery.
With 47 days remaining until the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which are scheduled for February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's performances are timely.
She has an Olympic gold and two Olympic 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 in a good place," the athlete confirmed.
Alongside her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four World Cup titles she has secured over a career spanning two decades.
She currently holds a 69-point lead at the summit of the overall downhill standings and is sitting in fifth place in the overall super-G standings.
This current World Cup circuit features a total of nine races taking place before the season finals in Norway on 21 March 2026.
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