2,830 days. That’s how long Lindsey Vonn (USA) waited between her final World Cup victory pre-retirement in 2018 and her first after returning. This time, the gap was less than a month, as she stormed to a decisive win at a snowy Zauchensee, the ski resort in Austria (1:06.24).

"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 number six," Vonn said post-race. "I thought I had to risk a lot with my line to really stay in the hunt, so I just swung really hard. I'm happy with the way I executed. I think that's the most important thing I'm taking away from today." 

Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR) finished second, picking up her ninth Cup podium and second at Zauchensee (+0.37).

Jacqueline Wiles (USA) rounded out the top three, claiming third, a feat she accomplished at the venue back in 2017 (+0.48). It was her fourth career Cup podium, and the timing couldn't be better. The result positions her well for a serious Olympic qualification argument.

It was another dominant race day for the Americans as a whole, with three placing in the top 10, four in the top 15 and five in the top 20. It also marked the first time since 2018 that two U.S. competitors made the podium in a World Cup downhill, and what do you know? Vonn was first and Wiles third at the site of the 2026 Winter Olympics: Cortina D'Ampezzo.

Breezy Johnson (USA), who’s been dealing with a back injury since October, finished 7th (+0.70). The reigning downhill world champion is continuing to find her form, a difficult task given that the ailment has limited her training time this season.

Johnson’s U.S. Ski teammates, Allison Mollin (+0.85) and Keely Cashman (+0.99), secured 14th and 18th, respectively.

For Vonn, the triumph adds yet another page to her storybook career. It was her 84th World Cup victory, putting her just two behind the great Ingemar Stenmark (SWE). If she manages to eclipse his 86, it would vault her up to second all-time in Cup wins behind Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). Her 45 downhill victories are the most ever for any skier, man or woman.

An emotional Lindsey Vonn celebrates on the podium after winning the downhill race at St. Moritz in 2025. It was her first World Cup victory since 2018.

Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images

The 41-year-old struggled to find the results and consistency she was looking for last season, however, a second-place finish at the 2024-25 Cup finale at Sun Valley provided a glimmer of hope for the Olympic year ahead. Of course, Vonn would go on to shock the world at the 2025-26 season opener in St. Moritz, standing on the top step of the podium, arms raised, tears streaking down her cheeks. 

She hasn't looked back since, earning 2nd place the following day and 4th the day after that. Vonn proved that Moritz was no mirage, scooping up 3rd and 4th in pa air of speed races a week later in Val d'lsere. 

A four-week break in competition, like the one she experienced between Val d'lsere and Zauchensee, could have introduced some piste rust, but it turned out to only sharpen the iron skis of the greatest speed racer of all time.

With the win, Vonn maintained her hold on the red bib, extending her lead in the downhill discipline and moving her up to sixth overall. Another strong performance in the super-G could slide her up to third.

When the St. Paul, Minnesota native decided to come out of retirement following a successful knee-replacement surgery, her primary goal was to compete at the 2026 Winter Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo, a venue where she's had tremendous success (12 Cup wins, most all time). 

If Vonn has demonstrated anything through six races this season, it's that she won't just be participating at the Olympics. Nor will she just be in medal contention. She's now, unequivocally, unbelievably, the gold medal favorite in downhill (and maybe more).

"I know exactly where I am and what I want to do, and my body is responding the way I wanted to" Vonn stated. "I'm strong. I can pull tight radius, or I can make a long radius turn. Whatever I want to do, I can do it. And that's an amazing feeling because my body hasn't always been responding that way to me in the past. So now it's a whole other ball game, and it feels amazing. I try to enjoy every single second I'm out here because it's just so fun to go fast.”

Magdalena Egger (AUT), the standout Austrian speedster who came in 2nd place behind Vonn at the St. Moritz season opener, crashed after the second sector, causing a 20-minute race interruption. Egger tried to ski off on her own power, but ultimately was unable to do so, and ski patrol transported her down the mountain in a rescue toboggan.

The Audi Fis Ski Instagram account later revealed an MRI confirmed a “rupture of her ACL, a tear of the collateral ligament, and a contusion of the lateral meniscus.” She will undergo surgery, ending her potential Olympic campaign and forcing her to miss the remainder of the Cup season. It’s a tough blow for the 24-year-old, as well as the Austrian Alpine Ski Team, who’s also lost Olympic gold medalist Katharina Liensberger to injury.

Vonn, Johnson, Wiles and the world's fastest skiers return Sunday for a super-G at Zauchensee. Bib one is set to leave the starting gate at 6:00 a.m. ET, and the action will stream live on both Peacock and NBCSN.