Lindsey Vonn wrapped up her comeback season at 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race on Sunday, where Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami took the win.
Vonn showed her signature form as she raced down the challenging and steep Challenger course at the World Cup finals. After seeing her time on the scoreboard, she pumped her ski poles in celebration as the large crowd cheered.
This marks Vonn’s first World Cup podium since March 15, 2018, when she finished third in a super-G in Åre, Sweden. Vonn returned to competition this season following a partial knee replacement.
“As much as I love skiing, it’s been a hard road,” Vonn said after the race. “I just keep proving that anything is possible. I’ve been knocked down so many times—personally, physically, mentally—and I always get back up. It’s not always easy.”
“It’s actually really (expletive) hard work. But that’s what it takes—putting one foot in front of the other and pushing through the tough days. When you keep going, one step at a time, it leads you to moments like today.”
Vonn becomes the oldest female Alpine skier to ever reach the podium in a World Cup race—by six years.
It was Vonn’s 138th career World Cup podium in her 408th World Cup start, bringing her just one away from tying the record for most starts by a female racer, a mark held by Austria’s Renate Goetschl.
Not that 34-year-old Italian racer Federica Brignone was particularly surprised.
“She’s Lindsey Vonn,” Brignone said. “She’s not just coming back from another injury. She has incredible qualities and is an amazing champion. Today, she put everything together and had an amazing race.”
Lara Gut-Behrami finished with a time of 1 minute, 12.35 seconds, edging Vonn by 1.29 seconds to secure the season-long super-G crystal globe, surpassing Brignone in the process. Gut-Behrami had been trailing by five points going into Sunday’s race. She found extra speed and took calculated risks, gliding through the course. Brignone finished third, 1.33 seconds behind Gut-Behrami.
The final season-long super-G standings ended with Gut-Behrami in first, followed by Brignone and Italy’s Sofia Goggia.
“Two days ago, I finally found happiness again on skis,” Gut-Behrami said. “It’s easier to ski fast when you’re enjoying what you’re doing. I’ve been searching for that all season.”
On Saturday, Brignone officially secured the downhill discipline title after the race was canceled, along with the overall title.
The next race at the World Cup finals is on Tuesday, featuring the women’s giant slalom.
