In a gripping showdown on the fog-shrouded Prampero course in Tarvisio, Italy, alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn continued her unstoppable Olympic buildup with a hard-fought second-place finish in the women’s World Cup super-G on Sunday.
The 41-year-old American icon, a four-time overall World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist, crossed the line just 0.27 seconds behind winner Emma Aicher of Germany. Vonn’s performance marks her seventh podium in eight speed races this season — a level of dominance unmatched by any other speed specialist as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (starting February 6) loom less than three weeks away.
Here are some dynamic action shots from the race and Vonn’s impressive form:
Vonn held the lead at every intermediate checkpoint before losing precious time in the tricky final gates. Despite the narrow defeat, her worst result this season remains a fourth place — underscoring her remarkable consistency under intense Olympic pressure.
Meanwhile, rising German talent Emma Aicher delivered a breakthrough victory, claiming her second super-G win of the season and fourth World Cup triumph overall. The versatile young skier (who competes in all four alpine disciplines) mastered the challenging upper section amid heavy fog and poor visibility, holding off a stacked field with composure and precision.
Here’s Emma Aicher in full flight during her winning run:
Capturing the Essence of Speed – Behind the Scenes … – broncolor
Olympic champion Ester Ledecka (Czech Republic), renowned for her dual gold medals in skiing and snowboarding, rounded out the podium in third — her first of the season. France’s Romane Miradoli took fourth, while American Keely Cashman notched a career-best fifth.
Drama unfolded late when New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, a multiple-race winner this season, crashed hard into the final gate but quickly stood up, appearing uninjured though visibly shaken.
Vonn’s podium streak solidifies her as a prime medal threat in downhill and super-G at the upcoming Olympics in Italy. The women’s circuit now heads to Kronplatz for a giant slalom, followed by one last speed weekend in Crans-Montana, Switzerland — with fans also watching for the potential return of Italy’s Federica Brignone.
Another powerful view of Vonn powering through the course:
Lindsey Vonn warms up for upcoming Olympics with another podium …
With the Milan-Cortina Games just around the corner, the battle between veteran mastery and youthful breakout talent is heating up the slopes like never before!
