🔗 Share this article The American champion Assured of Being 'in a good place' for Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Lindsey Vonn underwent a surgical implant installed in her right knee throughout her break from alpine racing. Alpine star Lindsey Vonn states she will be "in an excellent position" for the upcoming Winter Olympics, on the back of securing a podium spot for the fourth instance in five World Cup events. The veteran athlete, who recently made history by becoming the oldest downhill World Cup winner, took the bronze position in the super giant slalom in Val d'Isere on Sunday. This marked her 142nd career World Cup podium finish. Strong Return in the French Alps Competing at the iconic venue for the first occasion in almost a decade, Vonn finished the course in a time of 1:20.60. She was 0.36 seconds behind winner Sofia Goggia of Italy, with New Zealand's Alice Robinson securing the runner-up spot. "I was slightly lacking enough direction on the initial jump," Vonn said. "From that point on, I skied well. I'm satisfied with my skiing today, unlike in the super-G in St Moritz, where I was too conservative." This performance was her second podium at Val d'Isere over the weekend, having also finished third in the downhill race on Saturday. An Incredible Return from Retirement Vonn stepped away from competition in February 2019 because of ongoing knee problems. However, she made a stunning return in December 2024 after a major knee surgery. With less than two months remaining until the 2026 Winter Games, which are set to run from February 6th to the 22nd, Vonn's performances are highly promising. She has an Olympic gold and two bronze medals from previous Games and is firmly on track to compete for the United States at the next Olympics. "At the Olympics, I will be where I need to be," the athlete confirmed. Aiming for Further Glory In addition to her Games aspirations, Vonn is also aiming to increase the four overall crystal globes she has secured over a career spanning two decades. She presently enjoys a substantial lead at the summit of the downhill World Cup rankings and is sitting in fifth place in the super-G World Cup table. This season's World Cup circuit includes a nine more events taking place before the season finals in Norway on 21 March 2026.