Alpine skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has made it clear that she’s targeting medals at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, brushing off any suggestion that a podium finish in Cortina would be overly ambitious.
In a recent exclusive interview with Olympics.com, the 41-year-old American legend stated, “Everyone knows how competitive I am, and you could probably guess what I’m aiming for.” She emphasized her unwavering confidence in her racing abilities: “I’ve done it before. If there’s anything I know how to do, it’s skiing. I may be totally clueless at everything else, but if there’s one thing I can be confident in, it’s that I know how to ski race.”
Vonn’s optimism comes on the heels of a sensational start to the 2025-26 World Cup season. Just days ago in St. Moritz, Switzerland, she claimed a historic downhill victory on December 12 — her first World Cup win in nearly eight years and the 83rd of her career — becoming the oldest skier ever to triumph in a World Cup event. She followed it up with a strong second place in the next downhill and fourth in super-G, dominating the speed weekend.
The women’s speed events at the 2026 Olympics will take place on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a venue Vonn calls her absolute favorite. She holds the record with 12 World Cup victories there, far more experience than most of her competitors.
“This is a completely different ball game,” Vonn said of racing Olympics on a familiar track. “All the other courses I’ve raced in all the other Olympics, I’ve maybe had one or two races on them ever… Cortina is probably my favourite, if not second favourite, course in the entire world.”
After retiring in 2019 following a storied career that includes Olympic gold in downhill (Vancouver 2010) and bronzes in downhill (PyeongChang 2018) and super-G (Vancouver), Vonn made a remarkable comeback last season. A partial knee replacement in 2024 didn’t deter her; instead, she’s returned stronger, adding muscle and refining her equipment.
Vonn is eyeing downhill, super-G, and potentially the team combined event at the Games, where a pairing with slalom queen Mikaela Shiffrin could create a formidable U.S. duo.
With her recent performances silencing doubters and her unparalleled success in Cortina, Vonn is positioning herself as a serious medal contender for what she intends as her Olympic swan song.
Tags: Lindsey Vonn, Milano Cortina 2026, Alpine Skiing, Winter Olympics, World Cup, St. Moritz, Cortina d’Ampezzo
