Val-d’Isère (France) (AFP) – Lindsey Vonn climbed atop the podium for the third time in four World Cup races this winter, finishing third in the Val d’Isere downhill on Saturday. On her return to Val d’Isere, where she has won seven times, the 41-year-old American, who returned to the world circuit last winter after retiring in 2019, was only beaten by winner Cornelia Huetter of Austria and Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann.
With 48 days to go until the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo (February 6-22), Vonn confirmed that she will be a force to be reckoned with. Despite a poor line choice on a turn, she clinched the 141st podium of her World Cup career, finishing 0.35 seconds off first. “I thought I skied well in the middle, and then on the bottom I was carrying a lot of speed and with the light, I didn’t quite see the terrain, and I lost my balance,” the Minnesota native said. “It cost me probably half a second or more, so I’m disappointed in myself for that mistake. But when you’re going fast, anything can happen and I’m just happy that I hung on to the podium and the red (leader’s) bib.”
Related news
She has had an impressive start to the season with a victory last weekend in St Moritz, Switzerland — her first success on the world circuit in seven years — with her worst result so far being her fourth place in the St Moritz super-G. Vonn leads the Downhill World Cup, which she has won eight times.
While Vonn, transformed after having a titanium prosthesis fitted to her right knee, was all smiles after her run, the race’s other big favourite, Sofia Goggia, endured a disappointing day. The Italian lost any chance of winning with a costly mistake halfway through the race. The 2018 Olympic champion and 2022 Olympic silver medallist in the discipline finished in eighth place, 0.62 seconds off Huetter.
The Val d’Isere leg concludes on Sunday with a super-G.
© 2024 AFP
