SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place end in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was received by Swiss standout Lara Intestine-Behrami.
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Vonn discovered her classic kind whereas flying down the twisting and steep Challenger course on the World Cup finals. The American pumped her ski poles after glancing on the scoreboard as the big crowd roared.
This was Vonn’s first World Cup podium spot since March 15, 2018, when she completed third in a super-G in Are, Sweden. Vonn got here out of retirement this season after a partial knee alternative.
“As much as I love skiing, it’s been a hard road,” Vonn mentioned after the race. “I simply proceed to show that something is feasible. I’ve been knocked down so many instances in my life personally, bodily, mentally, beat down and I all the time decide myself again up. It’s not all the time simple.
“It’s actually really hard work. But that’s what it takes, putting one foot in front of the other and getting through the hard days. When you keep putting one foot in front of the other, it leads you to a place like today.”
Vonn turns into the oldest feminine Alpine ski racer to step on the rostrum of a World Cup race — by six years.
It was Vonn’s 138th profession World Cup podium in her 408th World Cup begin. She is inside considered one of tying essentially the most begins by a feminine racer, a mark held by Renate Goetschl of Austria.
Not that 34-year-old Italian racer Federica Brignone is all that stunned.
“She’s Lindsey Vonn,” Brignone mentioned. “She’s not somebody coming back from another injury. She has qualities and she’s an amazing champion. Today, she put all the pieces and did an amazing race.”
Intestine-Behrami completed in a time of 1 minute, 12.35 seconds — edging Vonn by 1.29 seconds — to earn the season-long super-G crystal globe by overtaking Brignone. Intestine-Behrami trailed by 5 factors heading into Sunday’s race. Intestine-Behrami discovered loads of velocity and took some calculated dangers to glide by the course. Brignone completed third, 1.33 seconds behind Intestine-Behrami.
The ultimate season-long super-G standings ended up Intestine-Behrami, Brignone and Sofia Goggia of Italy.
“Two days ago, I finally found the happiness again on skis,” Intestine-Behrami mentioned. “It’s easier to ski fast when you’re enjoying what you’re doing. I’ve been looking for that the entire season.”
On Saturday, Brignone formally clinched the downhill self-discipline after the race was canceled, together with the the general title.
The subsequent race at World Cup finals is Tuesday with a girls’s large slalom.
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