Breaking: Lindsey Vonn earns third World Cup podium in Val d’Isere as Olympic clock ticks
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val d’isere, France – Lindsey Vonn delivered another chapter in her remarkable comeback, landing on the podium in the downhill and securing her third top-three finish in four World Cup races this season. The 41-year-old, who recently marked a historic milestone as the oldest downhill World Cup winner, crossed the line in 1 minute 41.89 seconds.
Vonn finished 0.35 seconds behind the race winner, Cornelia Huetter of Austria, with Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann taking second. The veteran had not raced at this French alpine resort in eight years, making the podium performance all the more notable.
Her return to competitive racing began in December 2024 after a partial knee replacement, following her retirement in February 2019 due to injury. The current surge is shaping up as a focal point of her pursuit of Olympic greatness.
With 48 days remaining before the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (February 6-22, 2026), vonn is positioning herself to add new chapters to a career that has already yielded four World Cup titles. She also boasts one Olympic gold and two bronze medals and remains on track to represent the United States at the 2026 Games.
This downhill outing was part of the season’s World Cup circuit, which still features nine races before the season finale in Kvitfjell, Norway, on March 21, 2026. Val d’Isere’s program will conclude on Sunday with a super-G.
Key facts at a glance
| Event | World Cup Downhill, Val d’Isere |
|---|---|
| Podium | Third place – Lindsey Vonn |
| Time | 1:41.89 |
| Winner | Cornelia Huetter (Austria) – 0.35s ahead |
| Second | Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (germany) |
| Location | Val d’Isere,France |
| Olympic countdown | 48 days to Milan-Cortina 2026 (Feb 6-22) |
| World Cup context | Part of the season’s circuit; nine races remain before finals in Kvitfjell,March 21,2026 |
| Upcoming program | Val d’Isere’s leg closes with a Sunday super-G |
Evergreen insights
Lindsey Vonn’s latest podium underscores how a carefully managed comeback can extend the arc of an elite athlete’s career. Her ongoing presence highlights the growing emphasis on longevity, rehabilitation, and targeted training that enables athletes to compete at the highest level into their forties.
The ongoing World Cup schedule remains a crucible for Olympic hopefuls, testing consistency across venues and conditions.As the sport enters a landmark Olympic year, performances like this serve as signals for teams and fans about who could be in peak form when the Games arrive.
For fans, Vonn’s journey offers a narrative beyond medals: resilience, adaptation, and the pursuit of excellence after time away from the sport. It also raises questions about how long athletes can extend their peak through modern sports medicine and training technology.
What does Vonn’s podium say about the future of comebacks in elite sports? And should the World Cup calendar be calibrated to better prepare athletes for the Olympics? Share your take in the comments below.
Share this story and weigh in with your thoughts – the dialog around comebacks and Olympic prep matters to fans and athletes alike.
Did Lindsey Vonn ever finish third in a World Cup race at Val d’Isère?
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