Lindsey Vonn is heading to Aspen for the holidays in high spirits after securing another commendable performance on Sunday. She clinched a spot on the podium for the fourth time in five World Cup races, marking a successful start to her Olympic season at the age of 41.
Vonn finished third in a super-G event that was won by Sofia Goggia, who bounced back with a well-deserved victory following a disappointing eighth-place finish in the downhill event the previous day. Goggia expressed her emotional turmoil, sharing that she had cried for an hour after her downhill setback.
The podium on Sunday featured Goggia in first place, followed by Alice Robinson in second, who has already claimed victory twice this season on the World Cup circuit. Goggia edged out Robinson by 0.15 seconds, with the race briefly delayed due to strong gusts in Val d’Isere, France.
Despite reaching a top speed of 115 kph (71 mph), Vonn couldn’t catch Goggia’s pace and finished 0.36 seconds behind her. Vonn, pleased with her performance, acknowledged Goggia’s exceptional run and acknowledged the challenge of competing against her.
This season, Vonn has showcased exceptional form, with one win, four podium finishes, and a fourth-place result in five races within a span of 10 days. Her consistent success is a stark contrast to the struggles she faced last year.
After her upcoming race in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, on January 10, Vonn plans to take a three-week break to unwind in Aspen with her sister before returning to Europe for training. Both Vonn and Goggia, although reflective on their performances, shared a moment of camaraderie at the finish line.
Goggia experienced a nerve-wracking moment as Camille Cerutti briefly held the fastest time before finishing in fifth place. The Italian skier secured her 27th World Cup win, with eight of those victories coming in super-G events.
Valerie Grenier from St. Isidore, Ont., finished in 19th place with a time of 1:21.56 in the super-G race. Robinson’s strong performance earned her 80 World Cup points, narrowing the overall standings gap behind Mikaela Shiffrin to 74 points.
Shiffrin, aiming for a sixth overall World Cup title, will resume her campaign in Austria next weekend. The competition includes giant slalom and slalom events at Semmering, with Shiffrin chasing the record of Annemarie Moser-Pröll, who won six overall titles in the 1970s.
The intense competition and emotional highs and lows of the super-G event in Val d’Isere showcased the exceptional talent and resilience of these world-class athletes.
