On Lindsey Vonn's long list of accomplishments, this might be the most impressive.
At 41, less than a year after returning to the World Cup circuit following a partial knee replacement, Vonn stood atop the podium again Friday. Her victory in the downhill in St. Moritz was her 83rd World Cup win, and first since 2018.
"It almost doesn't feel real," said Vonn, who was overcome with emotion as she listened to the national anthem. "It couldn't go any better than this. It's amazing. I'm so happy."
The emphatic win – she was 0.98 seconds ahead of Austria's Magdalena Egger – should silence any last skeptics about Vonn's return to ski racing after a nearly six-year retirement. This is no vanity project. After an entire offseason to train, build strength and fine-tune her equipment, Vonn is as good as she's ever been.
Maybe better.
"I knew I was skiing fast," Vonn said, "but you never know until the first race."
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