Tarvisio (Italy) (AFP) – Lindsey Vonn continued her remarkable form in the lead up to the Winter Olympics with her seventh World Cup podium of the season in Sunday’s super-G in Tarvisio, won by Emma Aicher. American star Vonn finished 0.27 seconds behind Germany’s Aicher to claim second, after taking third in Saturday’s downhill on the same piste in Italy.
The 41-year-old comeback queen led her young rival narrowly at the first three intermediate splits, but could not match 22-year-old Aicher’s closeout and fell to second. Vonn has re-established herself as a force in the sport after coming out of a five-year retirement with a titanium knee replacement that allows her to ski pain-free. With less than three weeks to go until the start of the Milan-Cortina Games, the 2010 Olympic downhill champion was again impressive on one of her favourite courses. Vonn has never missed out on the podium in Tarvisio, which made its World Cup comeback this weekend after a 15-year absence, and where her tally now reads two wins, five second places, and one third spot.
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“It was a good race today, it was tough conditions with the visibility but I’m really happy to be on the podium again,” Vonn said to Italian broadcaster RAI. “Of course I’m close to another win but it is what it is, I think I’ll save the hundredths (of seconds) for Cortina!”
Vonn, who has a commanding lead in the downhill standings, is now 10 points behind new super-G leader Sofia Goggia after the Italian speed specialist finished sixth.
Goggia had another disappointing run and finished 1.13 seconds behind Germany’s Aicher, who held off Vonn and Ester Ledecka to claim her fourth career World Cup win and push Vonn into the runner-up spot for the second time this season. The 33-year-old Goggia was helped by previous super-G leader, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, losing control after the final jump and crashing over the finish line.
A shocked Robinson was seen on the verge of tears after her accident, which left her nearly three seconds off the pace and 20 points behind Goggia. Goggia is one of Italy’s alpine skiing medal hopes at the Olympics with uncertainty over the fitness of overall World Cup title holder Federica Brignone. Brignone has not competed since suffering a double leg break last April but could make her comeback this week after Italy’s winter sports federation on Sunday included the 35-year-old in the team for the giant slalom in Kronplatz.
In a statement, the FISI said that giant slalom world champion would participate in the training runs for Tuesday’s race in the Dolomites before deciding whether to compete for the first time this season. Although she should make it to the Olympics, which start on February 6, she could yet arrive at Milan-Cortina without a single race under her belt.
While Brignone has been a frustrated observer this season, Aicher has blossomed into a leading medal contender at the 2026 Games. Only a year ago, she was a promising prospect who had never made a World Cup podium. She leaves Tarvisio with seven of them in three disciplines, including an impressive four victories.
“I’m pretty happy with how I skied from top to bottom,” Aicher said in her typically understated manner. “I had a few moments where it was like, ‘Ooh, it could be tight.’ But it was a nice course, it was fun to ski and I’m happy with how I skied,” she added.
© 2024 AFP
