Lindsey Vonn: St. Moritz Downhill Win – 7 Years After Retirement

41 years old and all his gifts. All his will, all his professionalism, all his aggressiveness to win. And with a titanium knee. Seven years ago, like a grunt on the slopes, body saturated with injuries and soul broken at having to give up, the American Lindsey Vonn announced her retirement. This Friday, December 12, she won the World Cup downhill in Saint-Moritz, Switzerland. Her last victory dates back to March 14, 2018. Hello, here she is again a few weeks before the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina (February 6 to 22). The message sent to the competition is clear: I am back at the top and I will have to be dislodged.

Coming out of retirement last winter after almost six years off, Lindsey Vonne said on Wednesday: “I feel great and physically I’m possibly in the best shape of my life, which is fun. And my body doesn’t hurt, which is probably the most important thing.”

Olympic downhill champion in 2010, Vonn made her return to competition last winter at the age of 40, almost six years after stopping her career, with an overflowing trophy cabinet: an Olympic title (2010 downhill in Vancouver plus bronze in Super-G), 82 World Cup successes (four-time winner of the general classification), two world titles.

The American very quickly regained her sensations, with a fourth place in her third race in super-G in St. Anton (Austria) and a podium for her last race of the winter in Sun Valley (Colorado), in super-G. To prepare for the winter, which will be punctuated by the Olympic Games in her favorite resort – she stood on a podium there for the first time,… twenty-one years ago – in Cortina (Italy) in February, Vonn has worked hard this summer to regain her best physical level. “My goal was to become much stronger. Last season, I didn’t have enough time to prepare and regain my muscle mass, it took place two days ago. I’m still a little lighter than when I was at my peak, but I was able to gain 12 pounds [environ 5,5 kg, ndlr] this summer, I was super happy. There, I tick all the boxes: physique, equipment, trainer. Everything is aligned as best as possible, I couldn’t be in a better position.”summed up the best downhiller in history, who called on former Norwegian skier Aksel Lund Svindal (double winner at the Games) to accompany her in her Olympic season.

Ex-partner of Tiger Woods, fan of fashion weeks, high heels and red carpets, Lindsey Vonn has dusted off the traditional image of the skier. A few weeks ago she was very cash in the magazine team (for which she had undertaken a shoot worthy of a top model): “I am aware that for our generation, if you want to make money, you have to play by the rules. Exposing ourselves is the game we play now. There is no sport without fans and if you don’t interest them, you are out of the business.” Vonn is back in business and on the slopes. And not to make up the numbers.