'I just swung really hard': Vonn sprints to Downhill victory

Even at age 41, Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head) can still sprint — possibly all the way to Olympic gold.

The American superstar dominated the shortened Downhill in Zauchensee on Saturday, winning her 84th World Cup race and second of her comeback as she remarkably firms as the Olympic Downhill favorite.

Showcasing her trademark aggression on a flat course from the third reserve start due to heavy snowfall, Vonn sprinted home in 1:06.24 to lead a podium that included Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR, +0.37s) and Jacqueline Wiles (USA, +0.48s).

Vonn's performance was her fourth podium from four Downhill races this season, and her fifth in six speed races, as her spectacular comeback continues to gather steam ahead of Milano Cortina 2026 in less than a month's time.

"I'm a pretty stubborn and driven person," Vonn said in explaining her success. "I have an intense amount of competitiveness in me, it's just how I'm wired, so I'm thankful I have that ability."

Racing as the first of the top-seeded skiers with bib No.6, Vonn didn't think a fast racing line would have been established around the fresh snow by the time she pushed out of the start gate, but was happy to be proven wrong.

"I honestly thought with my start number I had no chance, because there's so much snow and there wasn't really a track at No.6," she said.

"I thought I had no chance so I just swung really hard."

A solid top section had Vonn in touch with provisional leader Lie halfway down, and then the 2010 Olympic Downhill champion built speed throughout a brilliant bottom section to post a leading time that was not seriously threatened.

On a day in which choosing the right line was crucial to avoid the soft snow, Vonn went straighter than anyone else at the Panorama turn, and it paid off.

"The coaches were a little bit hesitant on going that tight, because it's really easy to go too straight and then you're in trouble," she said.

"In general I thought the speeds were pretty low, so that's why I felt I was able to take the risk.

"I felt within myself, I didn't feel like I was doing anything crazy, but definitely it was a much different line than everyone else was taking, and that's why I was able to ski a little bit faster than the rest."

None of the other top seeds who followed her came close to Vonn's time, before teammate Wiles skied into third with bib No.16.

Not for the first time, Wiles, who was the first athlete ambassador for the Lindsey Vonn Foundation in 2016, was inspired by the greatest speed skier of all time.

"Lindsey had a great report up, saying 'You've just got to send it as hard as you can, just be aggressive and keep attacking,' so I think that was really helpful to hear," Wiles said.

"When I watched her, I felt like she cut a little bit of the line, and when I saw that she pulled that off really well, I knew that I wanted to try and do that and just charge as hard as possible.

"If you were outside the line, it was slow so you really had to nail the line."

When Wiles crossed the finish line in third, Vonn jumped out of the leader's chair, squealed in delight and yelled out, "Yeah Jackie!"

It was the 33-year-old Wiles' fourth career World Cup podium and first in nearly two years. In skiing into third, she denied Laura Pirovano (ITA/Head) what would have been her first career World Cup podium.

Pirovano finished fourth, 0.15 seconds off the podium — the 10th time she has finished fourth or fifth in a World Cup race without cracking the top three.

Behind the Italian, Janine Schmitt (SUI/Kaestle) skied into fifth place with bib No.24, easily her best World Cup result after never previously finishing inside the top 15.

The 25-year-old Swiss skier rounded out a top five that also included runner-up Lie, who secured her first podium of a season in which she has been trying to pace herself ahead of the Olympic races in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

"I can't show all my tricks before Christmas," the Norwegian said with a smile. "I have to save it, and then maybe it's ready for the Olympics.

"I'm getting my self-confidence back and that's what skiing is about."

Starting early with bib No.4, Lie wasn't certain of the right line when she pushed out of the start gate but skied brilliantly to bury some personal demons following two crashes in Zauchensee two years ago.

"I'm so happy we didn't go from the (regular) start," she said. "I'm happy they moved down the start so it's more of a fair race for everybody."

After heavy snow in recent days, the start was moved to the lowest possible point and the snow stopped just in time for reigning Olympic Downhill champion Corinne Suter (SUI/Head) to begin the race in her season debut.

Returning to the tour after suffering multiple leg injuries in a training accident last month, Suter skied solidly without major errors and ended up in 22nd place.

"I'm super happy to be back here, to be healthy — my body feels better day by day," she said. "Today was not so easy, also with No.1, but I tried to do my best."

While Suter will now try to work herself into peak condition to defend her gold medal in the Olympic Downhill race in 29 days, Vonn is already there.

"No one's expectations are higher than my own, so I try to keep everything in perspective," the American said about her growing favoritism.

"I know I'm going to have a lot of emotion in Cortina — it's going to be a matter of controlling it."

Click here for full results from Saturday's race.