At 41 years old, American alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is defying age and expectations as she charges toward the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. In a stunning display of her enduring competitive fire, Vonn recently secured her 84th World Cup victory — her second downhill win of the season — by taking daring, high-stakes lines during the event in Zauchensee, Austria, on January 10, 2026.
The race, shortened due to heavy snowfall and challenging conditions, demanded precise execution. Starting from bib No. 6 on a course with soft snow and no clear track at the top, Vonn opted for a tighter, more aggressive racing line through key sections — a strategy that carried significant risk of backfiring. Coaches had voiced concerns about the potential pitfalls of such an approach, but Vonn trusted her instincts and experience, pushing harder where others held back.
Her bold tactics paid off handsomely: she clocked a time of 1:06.24, finishing 0.37 seconds ahead of Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie in second place, with fellow American Jacqueline Wiles claiming third. This triumph extended Vonn’s perfect podium streak in all four downhill races this season, solidifying her lead in the discipline standings and marking her as a top favorite for Olympic gold in Cortina d’Ampezzo next month.
Vonn’s calculated risks highlight her trademark mindset — one that prioritizes high-reward aggression over caution — even as she competes against athletes decades younger. After a five-year retirement prompted by injuries and a partial knee replacement in 2024, her remarkable comeback has already seen her qualify for her fifth Olympics, become the oldest skier to win a World Cup race, and now add another historic milestone to her legacy.
With the Olympics just weeks away (February 6–22, 2026), Vonn’s fearless approach and continued dominance underscore her drive to etch one final chapter of greatness on the world’s biggest stage. As she puts it, she’s embracing every moment, knowing that in speed events like downhill, bold choices often separate champions from the rest.
