At 40, the American is making a thunderous return to the World Cup circuit by achieving a superb 4th place this Sunday.
The young American Lauren Macuga created a surprise by winning the super-G in Sankt Anton, Austria, on Sunday, where Lindsey Vonn took 4th place, confirming her return to the forefront in her third race of the winter. Vonn, whose right knee was partially replaced in April by a titanium prosthesis allowing her to make her return to the circuit at the age of 40, had already taken an impressive 6th place during the descent on Saturday.
At 22 years old, Lauren Macuga, part number 17, took advantage of improved visibility in the Austrian resort to achieve a very solid round and score a first podium and a first victory in the World Cup. She is ahead of the Austrian Stephanie Venier (+0”68) and the Italian Federica Brignone (+0”92), winner the day before the downhill. Just behind and despite less visibility, Lindsey Vonn finished just off the podium, 1”24 behind her compatriot Macuga.
From the third race of her new career, the American, who is making a comeback after six years of retirement, was ahead of the big names in the discipline and confirmed that she had to be counted on less than a month before the World Championships in Saalbach. in Austria. “It was a real rodeo throughout the race. I didn’t see anything, the visibility was poor. I just fought until the finish. To achieve a fourth place with these mistakes is enough”reacted Vonn, who said she was not yet “100%”. The Women’s World Cup continues on Tuesday with the Flachau slalom in Austria. The speed event specialists will meet in Cortina (Italy) on January 18.
