Lindsey Vonn Wins Again in Olympic Comeback Season/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Lindsey Vonn claimed her second downhill victory of the Olympic season, winning a World Cup race in Austria at age 41. With a time nearly four-tenths ahead of her closest rival, Vonn extended her career record to 84 World Cup wins. The U.S. skiing legend remains a top contender for Olympic gold at Milan-Cortina 2026.
Lindsey Vonn Downhill Victory Quick Looks
- Vonn wins second World Cup downhill race of the season
- Achieves 84th career win, 45th in downhill
- Victory comes at age 41 with titanium knee implants
- Finished 0.37 seconds ahead of Kajsa Vickhoff Lie
- Jacqueline Wiles joins Vonn on podium in third
- Five American skiers placed in top 20
- Vonn leads World Cup downhill standings by 129 points
- Race held in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee on shortened course
- Vonn aims for Olympic gold at Milan-Cortina 2026
- Austrian skier Magdalena Egger suffers season-ending crash
Lindsey Vonn Wins Again in Olympic Comeback Season
Deep Look
Lindsey Vonn proved once again why she remains one of the most formidable names in skiing history. Racing at 41 years old and with her right knee reinforced by titanium implants, Vonn soared to her second World Cup downhill victory of the Olympic season Saturday in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria.
Vonn clocked a winning time that was 0.37 seconds faster than Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie in overcast, tricky conditions. The victory came on a shortened, high-speed course that saw racers hit speeds up to 130 kph (81 mph) in under 67 seconds.
Her win not only added to her legacy but showed she remains a dominant force ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, where she’ll once again be among the gold medal favorites in the downhill—an event she won at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
“It feels amazing,” Vonn said after her win. “I try to enjoy every single second I am out here because it is just so fun to go fast.”
After crossing the finish line, Vonn celebrated with a powerful fist pump and a nod of satisfaction. “I knew what it was going to take to win today,” she added. “It was a sprint and I had to give it everything I had, definitely had to risk a little bit.”
With this victory, Vonn extends her records as both the all-time leader in World Cup wins (84) and downhill wins (45). She also remains the oldest winner in the 60-year history of the World Cup circuit—setting a standard for longevity in the sport.
Sharing the spotlight was teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who finished third, 0.48 seconds behind Vonn. The American duo celebrated together after the race, just as they did eight years ago in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where Wiles also stood on the podium behind Vonn.
“Being on the podium again with her is super special,” Wiles said.
Vonn also took a moment post-race to video call her family with her coach and former Olympic downhill champion Aksel Lund Svindal at her side—a quiet celebration of her continued excellence in a sport she’s helped define.
While Vonn soared, other top names struggled. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill gold medalist, finished a disappointing 17th, trailing Vonn by nearly a full second. Defending Olympic champion Corinne Suter, returning from injury, finished more than a second behind as well.
The race also included a setback for the host nation. Austrian skier Magdalena Egger suffered a dramatic crash and had to be airlifted from the course. The Austrian ski federation later confirmed a torn ACL and other serious damage to her right knee—an unfortunate end to a promising season for the 22-year-old, who had finished runner-up to Vonn in the season’s opening downhill in St. Moritz.
Despite the interruption, it was a banner day for the American squad. In addition to Vonn and Wiles, four other U.S. skiers placed in the top 20. World champion Breezy Johnson took seventh, while 21-year-old Allison Mollin notched a career-best 14th. Keely Cashman tied for 18th, less than a second off Vonn’s pace.
The strong team result highlights the depth of American women’s downhill skiing heading into the Olympic season. It also solidifies Vonn’s position at the top of the World Cup downhill standings. With four of nine downhills completed this season, Vonn now leads Germany’s Emma Aicher by 129 points.
Saturday’s win was Vonn’s first at Zauchensee since the 2015-16 season—the same year she last won the overall downhill title. A decade later, she is now on the brink of capturing a ninth season title in downhill, which would add yet another milestone to her historic resume.
“I felt like I was skiing better in super-G this summer,” Vonn noted, “but when I got to the races in St. Moritz everything was working really well right from the start.”
Looking ahead, Vonn will return to action on Sunday in the super-G, which is expected to be held on a longer course.
With the Milan-Cortina Games just weeks away, Lindsey Vonn’s momentum, experience, and unmatched drive make her a serious contender for yet another Olympic triumph.
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