Almost six years after leaving the White Circus, American legend Lindsey Vonn is picking up her paddles again to attempt a return to competition.
Posted at 8:43 a.m.
Updated at 9:17 a.m.
The 40-year-old announced the news to her 2.4 million followers on Instagram on Thursday morning, posting a video of herself in training alongside the following message: “Okay, let’s go to Colorado …I hope the Team USA uniform still fits me. »
For several weeks, the winner of 82 World Cup titles had been giving hints of a possible return, sprinkling images of her in training. Long bothered by a right knee injury, Vonn suggests the reconstruction of her knee and the condition of her joint pushed her back into action.
“I wouldn’t do all this if I didn’t have hopes of running a race,” Vonn told New York Times.
“I have goals, I like to go fast. How fast can I be? I don’t know. But I will not put myself in a position where I can fail. My goal is to have fun and if all goes well, I will be able to ski in the World Cup. “I wouldn’t be back on the US national team if I didn’t have clear goals,” she continued.
The speed event specialist bowed out during the World Championships in Are, in February 2019, by winning the bronze medal in the downhill event.
A true reference in her field, the American won three Olympic medals during her glorious career: gold in downhill and bronze in Super-G in Vancouver in 2010 as well as bronze in downhill in PyeongChang in 2018.
Before her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin defeated her, Vonn was the most successful skier in World Cup history. The two phenomena, however, are not expected to rub shoulders on the World Cup circuit in the coming months, as Shiffrin has given up on downhill events this season to concentrate on technical events.
Vonn also won eight World Championship medals, including two gold, in Val d’Isère in 2019.
