Wintersports
Skiing
Lindsey Vonn’s comeback is about more than skiing
After a five-season retirement, the American is back, writing the next chapter of her career. With Milano as her goal, Vonn is reminding us that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
The Super-G course at the 2025 World Cup Finals in Sun Valley was technical and steep, and the flat light on race day only heightened the difficulty. Standing at the start gate was Lindsey Vonn, about to drop into the last race of her historic comeback 2024/25 season. At this point, Vonn had nothing left to prove.
Just eleven months prior, she underwent a partial knee replacement. This procedure, often associated with the end of an athlete's career, was Vonn’s new beginning. It sparked a once-unthinkable comeback. Simply racing again at an elite level alongside the world’s best felt like a victory.
Her greatness was already undeniable with 82 World Cup victories, three Olympic medals, and eight FIS Alpine Skiing World Championship podiums to her name. When she won gold in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, she became the first American woman to do so.
Vonn has been on skis for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Burnsville, Minnesota, the American skied at the humble Buck Hill and began racing at 7. When she met Picabo Street at 9 years old, that’s when it clicked that she could pursue skiing as a career. “I never thought about [being a professional skier] until I met her, and after that, that’s all I wanted to do,” she recalls—and she chased that dream relentlessly, competing in her first World Cup in 2000.
Lindsey Vonn the comeback queen
© Daniel Milchev / Red Bull Content Pool
Each victory required her trademark grit and tenacity, as ski racing leaves scars. Crashing at 85 mph takes a toll on the body, and Vonn’s injuries spanned from torn knee ligaments, cracked tibial plateaus, and a shattered arm.
Over time, the damage compounded. By 2019, Vonn’s right knee was so ravaged that Vonn retired even though her passion and drive for sport were vibrant. She never anticipated returning to racing until the chronic pain led her to consider a partial knee replacement. The procedure was complex, but post-op, she found freedom. Once back on the snow, there was no pain, no hesitation, or aches. Just skiing.
With this newfound freedom, then came the question: What if? What if she raced in the World Cup again? What if she went for the games in 2026? It just so happened that the games would be in Cortina, Italy, at the Olympia delle Tofane, a venue where she claimed 6 downhill victories and a course she knows by heart. “Racing in Cortina was a little bit of a carrot on a stick dangling in front of me,” she says. “It made me more inspired to want to do this comeback.”
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Lastly, she thought of her mom, Linda Krohn, who passed away in 2022. Krohn survived a stroke while pregnant with Vonn, and despite setbacks associated with the stroke, Krohn always persevered. Seeing everything her mother went through firsthand taught Vonn to never take anything for granted. “That grit that I have all comes from my family,” she explains.
Vonn clicked into a pair of skis for the first time at just 3-years-old.
© Claire Abbe
I just hope people are inspired to believe in themselves.
She wanted to live her life without regret, and she’d always regret not giving her racing career another go. So, 2,565 days after her last World Cup podium in 2019, Vonn descended the Sun Valley Super-G course on March 23, 2025, to wrap up her exhilarating comeback season. As she neared the finish line, the crowd roared, audible even on the broadcast. She finished in 2nd, becoming the oldest woman - at 41 - to stand on a World Cup podium.
As she heads into the 2025/26 season, with Milano in her sights, Vonn is elated. “Last year was the first year of my comeback, and it took me a while to get into my rhythm. I had some things to figure out,” she says. But between honing in her gear and a productive summer of training, she’s feeling confident and ready to push the boundaries. Not just for herself, but for others who contemplate whether they can keep chasing audacious goals. Fresh off a US Ski Team training camp in Colorado, Vonn joined us to talk training, her mindset, Milano and more.
What are your strengths, and what makes you a great athlete?
One of my biggest strengths is my hard work ethic. It doesn’t matter what I face or what’s in front of me, I will keep working as hard or as long as it takes to get to where I want to go. As an athlete, that’s one of the most important things.
Who are the most influential people in your life?
My parents and my grandparents were/are the most influential people in my life. They are such great examples of hard work, perseverance, and positive attitude.
Lindsey Vonn announced at 40 that she was rejoining the U.S. Ski Team
© Erich Spiess / Red Bull Content Pool
Ski racing is equally a mental game as it is a physical one. What kind of mental prep do you do before a competition?
Everyone has their own routine, but for me, I focus on the small things I can control: my preparation, my mindset, and what I wear. These are the small things I can do that can put me in a rhythm and routine, which gives me confidence.
For anyone who hasn’t watched Alpine Skiing on TV, what’s your sales pitch to start?
If you like Formula 1, then you’d love ski racing. It’s basically the same except we’re on skis and it’s a lot more dangerous. There’s no car protecting you. It’s just you on the mountain going 85 mph. If you crash, there’s no car to save you—it’s just you and the fences.
Risk is inherent in racing at an elite level. What’s your strategy for managing it?
I think planning and preparation are the ways to mitigate the risk in ski racing. Things like knowing where you’re going, being as strong as you can, and being mentally prepared give you the best chance of success and making it down in one piece. But going 85 mph, anything can happen. You can prepare all you want, but it is a dangerous sport.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received from a coach?
The best piece of advice from a coach was from Eric Sailer. He said, “I’m fast the way I am.” I took that to mean not to change myself in ski racing and in life. I’m good enough just as I am. I don’t need to change who I am. I just need to always be authentically myself.
In January of 2025, Vonn took 6th place in her first downhill race back
© Johann Groder / Red Bull Content Pool
Are there any small things you do that make a huge difference in your skiing?
There’s not one small thing. It’s all the small things accumulated together that add up to make a big difference.
We’re less than 100 days from Milano 2026. What makes the games different from other competitions?
The games are special because you’re representing your country. It’s different from a World Cup or the World Championships. It’s a competition that is far greater than yourself. You’re part of a team, but representing the entire country, and that is a privilege that I feel very lucky to have experienced.
Who is your support network this season?
I have a lot of support this season. I have two new coaches—one of whom is Aksel Lund Svindal. We’ve competed together for a very long time; he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s a champion many times over. I’ve also added new technicians, so my team is feeling great.
How are you feeling going into the 2025/26 season?
I am feeling confident going into the season. This summer was an amazing preparation period. I feel like I’m in great shape, and I have a great team surrounding me. I’m excited to start the competitions again.
In this comeback season, how has your training and mindset changed?
My mindset is pretty similar now to how it was when I was previously racing. I think the difference is that I have more experience now. I’m older and wiser, and since I’ve been away from the sport, my perspective is better than it was before.
Post-retirement, Vonn never stopped working out—“it’s my meditation.”
© Michael Muller
For those following your journey, what kind of message do you hope they take away from this comeback season?
I hope people are inspired to believe in themselves. This comeback was unexpected, but I’m proving a lot of people wrong and changing people’s expectations about what’s possible at an older age. I hope people are more inclined to pursue their own dreams than they were before.
Looking ahead, is there anything you want to achieve post-ski racing?
Well, I’ve already retired once, so I’ve set up businesses, and I’m on board seats. When I retire again, I’ll go back to those business ventures.
What would you have done if you hadn’t become a skier?
Probably a veterinarian. I love animals.
What’s something you can’t live without?
I can’t live without my phone…or my dogs!
Is there anyone you haven’t met yet that you’d love to meet?
I’d love to meet Michael Jordan. He’s the one sports figure I haven’t met that I’d love to meet.
As Vonn continues her incredible journey, the next chapter unfolds at the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup in St. Moritz, taking place December 12–14. Known for its iconic slopes and stunning alpine backdrop, St. Moritz is a venue where legends are made - and where Vonn hopes to further cement her comeback story. With the games in her sights, her performance here will be a key milestone as she builds momentum for her ultimate goal. Fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the return of one of skiing’s greatest athletes to the course that has defined so many careers.
