In a day dominated by American legend Lindsey Vonn’s historic victory, 24-year-old Austrian skier Magdalena Egger delivered one of the standout surprises of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season opener, claiming second place in the women’s downhill and earning her maiden World Cup podium after 31 career starts.
Egger, starting with bib 27 on the challenging Corviglia course, posted a time of 1:30.61 — just 0.98 seconds behind Vonn’s winning 1:29.63 — to edge out her experienced teammate Mirjam Puchner for silver. The result marks a monumental milestone for the Vorarlberg native, who has long been touted as a rising talent in Austrian skiing.
“It’s incredible, I don’t know what to say,” Egger beamed at the finish line, as reported by Austrian media. “It is just a dream come true. I just tried to keep my ski clean, keep making speed, and I am really relieved.”af1695,6609c5,38337d
Egger’s path to the podium has been one of steady progression. A dominant junior racer — born in 2001, she amassed multiple medals at Junior World Championships — Egger has gradually built experience on the senior circuit. This second-place finish in St. Moritz, under perfect bluebird conditions, represents the breakthrough many predicted, converting her potential into elite-level success.
The Austrian duo of Egger and Puchner (+1.16 seconds for third) ensured a strong showing for the ÖSV team, with Egger’s late-start run producing some of the fastest splits in the final sectors to displace early leaders.
“It’s just a dream come true,” Egger added in post-race interviews, acknowledging Vonn’s dominance while expressing relief at her own performance. “I knew Lindsey was pretty far in front.”
At 24, Egger now joins the ranks of promising speed specialists eyeing bigger targets, including the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. With another downhill scheduled for Saturday and a super-G on Sunday in St. Moritz, she has immediate opportunities to build on this momentum.
Congratulations poured in from the skiing community for Egger’s perseverance-paying-off moment, proving once again that breakthroughs can come when least expected — even in the shadow of a legend’s return.
