The alpine skiing world is buzzing with anticipation as Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old American icon, heads into this weekend’s World Cup downhill in Tarvisio sitting just two victories shy of equaling Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time record of 86 World Cup wins — a mark long considered untouchable among men until recent eras.
Vonn, fresh off her stunning 84th career triumph in a shortened downhill in Zauchensee on January 10, has been unstoppable in her remarkable comeback season. With the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics just weeks away, a win on Saturday’s Di Prametro course would tie the Swedish legend’s historic tally and cement Vonn’s place even deeper in the record books. (Note: Mikaela Shiffrin now holds the overall record with over 100 wins, but Stenmark’s 86 remains the benchmark for many in the speed disciplines.)
Here are electrifying action shots from Vonn’s recent dominant runs, capturing her signature speed and precision on the snow:
The Tarvisio downhill on Saturday, January 17, marks the fifth women’s speed event of the 2025-26 season and the final one before U.S. Olympic selections shift to discretionary picks. Vonn, already qualified for her fifth Olympics following podiums and victories this winter, thrives on historic venues like this — she has past success in Tarvisio, including a super-G win in 2009.
Fans are watching closely: Could the “speed queen” make history once more before the Olympic downhill in Cortina? Vonn’s form has been flawless, with multiple podiums and two wins already this season, including her record-extending 45th downhill victory.
Stenmark, the “Silent Swede,” dominated the technical disciplines in the 1970s and ’80s, retiring in 1989 with his unmatched 86 wins (primarily slaloms and giant slaloms). Vonn’s pursuit revives the debate on the greatest of all time.
Vonn herself has kept things light amid the hype — recently posting a humorous search for a missing ski pole in the Tarvisio parking lot — but the stakes couldn’t be higher.
More powerful images of Vonn in full flight this season:
Lindsey Vonn impresses again winning World Cup downhill for 2nd …
And a classic look at the legend she’s chasing — Ingemar Stenmark in his prime:
Blast from Aspen’s World Cup past: Stenmark claimed victory No. 86 …
