Lindsey Vonn makes first podium of Alpine skiing comeback: 'I proved everyone wrong'
Lindsey Vonn made her first podium since returning from a five-year retirement, finishing second in the super-G at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, in her last race of the season.
Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami won Sunday's race — and the season super-G title.
Vonn finished 1.29 seconds back in second place in what was likely the last World Cup race on U.S. soil in her career.
ALPINE SKIING: Full Results | Broadcast Schedule
AN INCREDIBLE RUN FOR LINDSEY VONN.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) March 23, 2025
In what is likely her final race on US snow, she finishes ON THE PODIUM in second place at the Stifel Sun Valley World Cup Finals women's super-G! pic.twitter.com/EF5YIVL4cU
"I usually do better when the pressure's higher," Vonn, an 82-time World Cup winner and the 2010 Olympic downhill champion, said on NBC Sports. "It's the last race of the season. I just put it all on the line. This is the level that I know I can ski. I know I can even do better than that. It's been a rough season of people saying that I can't, that I'm too old, that I'm not good enough anymore. I think I proved everyone wrong."
Vonn, 40, shattered the record of oldest women's podium finisher. Austrian Alexandra Meissnitzer had the record of 34 years and nearly 9 months old, set in 2008, according to ski-db.com.
Vonn made the first podium of her comeback in her 13th race. Her best previous finishes this season were sixth in a downhill and fourth in a super-G on Jan. 11 and 12.
"This year has just been really up and down, and it's been hard to stay positive sometimes, especially because people are telling me that I should just quit — again," she said.
Vonn's goal in her comeback is to make her fifth Olympic team in 2026, then retire for good next year. She's well on her way.
A nation can qualify up to four skiers per Olympic race, and Vonn is the third-ranked American this season in the downhill and second in the super-G. The Olympic team will be named next winter.
"Today meant everything to me," said Vonn, whose 12 career World Cup wins at Cortina are a record for the venue. "This is the road now to Cortina next year."
Next season, the World Cup is expected to have one U.S. women's stop in Copper Mountain, Colorado, for a giant slalom and slalom. Vonn has been skiing exclusively downhill and super-G in her comeback.
"I really wanted to do well at home," Vonn said. "It's very rare in my career that I've ever been able to ski a speed event on home soil."
The World Cup Finals continue Tuesday with the women's giant slalom. USA Network airs live coverage of the second run at 2 p.m. ET.
Topics
-
Lindsey Vonn concludes ‘impossible’ comeback at 40 with first podium since 2018
40-year-old finishes second in Sunday’s Super-G Lara Gut-Behrami clinches first place and title Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at the age of 40 with a second-place finish in a World ...The Guardian - 1d -
Vonn takes first comeback podium as Gut-Behrami wins World Cup super-G title
Lindsey Vonn claimed the first podium finish of her comeback on Sunday when the 40-year-old skiing superstar finished second to Lara Gut-Behrami who captured a record sixth World Cup women's ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn reveling in being back at World Cup finals and an unexpected second act
Lindsey Vonn will become oldest woman to compete at World Cup finals, qualifying for both the downhill and super-G in Sun Valley.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Lindsey Vonn, other top skiers, showing that age really is just a number
Lindsey Vonn finished second in the super-G, making her, at 40, the oldest woman to make a World Cup podiumYahoo Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn, 40, Becomes Oldest Woman Ever to Podium at World Cup — Her First Since Career Comeback
Vonn placed second in the Audi FIS Ski World Cup finals on Sunday, March 23Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn makes history with second-place finish in World Cup race
Lindsey Vonn’s return to the podium — six years since stepping away from ski racing, 11 months since her partial knee replacement, four months since announcing her return — hit her hard in the ...NBC News - 1d -
Vonn closes season with first podium since '18
Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race that was won by Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami.ESPN - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn takes 2nd in the final World Cup race of her comeback season, Lara Gut-Behrami wins
Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was won by Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami. Vonn found her vintage form ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Lindsey Vonn on skiing the comeback trail
In the world of alpine skiing, few have been more decorated. Fast, fearless and resilient, Lindsey Vonn fought her way back after every crash, until she retired at 34. But now, with a titanium knee ...CBS News - Mar. 9
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Raiders sign former Panthers veteran starting TE
Tuesday the Raiders added some depth to the tight end room with the addition of longtime Panthers TE Ian Thomas.Yahoo Sports - 13m -
NFL free agency: Are the Vikings leaving the door open for Aaron Rodgers?
Look, it's March. We're months away from kickoff, and there's plenty of time for J.J. McCarthy to earn the QB1 job he says he hasn't been told is his. But Minnesota isn't exactly slamming the door ...Yahoo Sports - 13m -
Doc Rivers is demanding more credit for blowing 3-1 leads in the playoffs
You can't blow a 3-1 lead if you don't win three games in the first place, I guess?Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Doc Rivers is demanding more credit for blowing 3-1 leads in the playoffs
You can't blow a 3-1 lead if you don't win three games in the first place, I guess?Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Stingrays' Bjorklund Reassigned To Hershey
The South Carolina Stingrays announced Tuesday that goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been re-assigned from South Carolina to the Hershey Bears.Yahoo Sports - 15m
More in Sports
-
Testing begins at Cortina's controversial Olympic sliding track for bobsled, luge
Tests are underway at Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding trackABC News - 8m -
Testing begins at Cortina's controversial Olympic sliding track for bobsled, luge
Tests are underway at Cortina’s controversial Olympic sliding trackABC News - 8m -
Shiffrin steadily overcoming PTSD after crash, focus on slalom at World Cup finals
Mikaela Shiffrin’s flashbacks to her November crash in the giant slalom are happening less and less when she’s trainingABC News - 9m -
Shiffrin steadily overcoming PTSD after crash, focus on slalom at World Cup finals
Mikaela Shiffrin’s flashbacks to her November crash in the giant slalom are happening less and less when she’s trainingABC News - 9m -
Raiders sign former Panthers veteran starting TE
Tuesday the Raiders added some depth to the tight end room with the addition of longtime Panthers TE Ian Thomas.Yahoo Sports - 13m