Lindsey Vonn comeback driven by 2026 Cortina Olympics dream

Vonn eyes Olympic gold at Cortina in 2026 as comeback gains momentum.

U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn speaks during an interview at an NBC Universal Team USA filming event ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, held at the Sunset Glenoaks Studios in Los Angeles, California, on May 21, 2025. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP

By Randy Ahmad and Widya Putri

Lindsey Vonn's comeback is more than just a nostalgic return to the slopes. The record-breaking downhill skier has made it clear that her primary motivation lies in one location: Cortina d'Ampezzo, the site of the women’s alpine skiing races at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. For the 40-year-old American, the Lindsey Vonn comeback is about ending her career on her own terms, in a place that holds deep significance.

Speaking to AFP, Vonn explained that the allure of competing at Cortina was the decisive factor in her unexpected return to professional skiing. After announcing her retirement in 2019 due to persistent knee injuries, few expected her to make a comeback, let alone one fueled by Olympic ambitions. But a titanium knee reconstruction gave her a new shot at the sport she dominated for years.

“It was probably the biggest reason why I came back—because it was in Cortina,” Vonn said. “I don't know if I would have come back if the Olympics hadn't been in Cortina.”

The site holds special memories for the American skiing legend. It's where she achieved her first podium, and it’s where she broke the women’s World Cup win record. “It’s always been historically a great place for me,” she added. “It would be a really fitting place to end my career again.”

A strong return season builds momentum

Vonn’s comeback season in 2024 was filled with emotion, challenges, and signs of the competitive edge that made her a global icon in skiing. In March, she secured her first podium since returning, finishing second in a World Cup Super-G race at Sun Valley, behind Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami. For Vonn, the result was both vindication and motivation.

“The comeback season was incredible. A lot of amazing experiences,” she said. “Sun Valley was definitely the best way to end it.”

But the journey hasn’t been easy. Vonn faced skepticism from critics who questioned the wisdom of returning to such a high-risk sport at her age, especially after severe injuries. Yet the Lindsey Vonn comeback wasn’t built on sentiment alone—it’s grounded in determination and competitive hunger.

“It gives me a lot of confidence going into next season,” she noted. “But it was definitely up and down, some low points, and some really amazing experiences. So I think I learned a lot. I know what I have to do next year.”

Vonn is clear-eyed about the road ahead. She hopes that her performances so far have silenced the doubters and changed the narrative around her return. “Hopefully people understand now my capabilities, and I think the conversation will be hopefully a little different next year than it was this year,” she added.

Past glories fuel future goals

Lindsey Vonn’s career is already cemented among the greatest in skiing history. She won her Olympic gold in the downhill at the Vancouver Games in 2010, a year after clinching World Championship gold in Val d'Isère. Her World Cup win record is unmatched among women, and her dominance in speed events became the gold standard for a generation.

Returning to that level after five years away and at age 40 is no small feat. But with the 2026 Winter Olympics fast approaching, the Lindsey Vonn comeback could deliver one of the most remarkable chapters of her storied career.

Her long-time teammate and fellow Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin has also praised the choice of Cortina as a host venue for the Milan Games. “It’s a beautiful place and it’s a place that we’re more familiar with on the Alpine side,” said Shiffrin. “That feels really good—to go to a place where we have some knowledge.”

Shiffrin, who endured a difficult Olympics in Beijing 2022, failing to finish in her two favorite events, is also eager to put the past behind her and refocus on Cortina. “It feels like home,” she said. “Because I spent so much of my life in Europe now that it’s like, okay, here we are. We know.”

Redemption and resilience after Beijing disappointment

Shiffrin’s Olympic experience in Beijing was one of heartbreak and frustration. Despite her dominance on the World Cup circuit—where she now holds the all-time record for most wins—Beijing offered her no medals and plenty of questions.

“I think what I realized from the Olympics is there’s always something new around the corner,” she said. “When I thought I experienced everything after South Korea, then Beijing came and changed everything I knew about the Olympics.”

Reflecting on those challenges, Shiffrin emphasized the unpredictable nature of Olympic competition. “It just gave me experience of how hard and upsetting this kind of event can be when everything does go kind of wrong,” she admitted.

But like Vonn, Shiffrin remains grounded in resilience. “I think the best approach is: do the best we can, and I’ll be prepared and I’ll practice and be ready to go. And then what happens, happens—but life goes on,” she said.

Eyes on Cortina as Olympic pressure builds

With just months remaining until the 2026 Winter Olympics, both Vonn and Shiffrin are part of a larger narrative of experience, ambition, and redemption. The Lindsey Vonn comeback is shaping into one of the most closely watched stories of the Olympic cycle—not just because of her past, but because of what might still come.

Cortina d'Ampezzo is no ordinary venue. Nestled in the Italian Dolomites, it offers a unique blend of challenging terrain, historic resonance, and personal significance for Vonn. It could very well be the site of a final flourish in a career already marked by greatness.

For now, the former champion continues to train, recover, and prepare for another shot at Olympic glory. Whether she reaches the podium or not, Lindsey Vonn's return already stands as one of the most courageous and inspiring stories in modern sport.

The skiing world will watch closely as Cortina approaches. One way or another, Lindsey Vonn plans to make her mark again—on the same slopes that shaped her legend.

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