“Made a Mistake”: Lindsey Vonn Reveals Frustrations with Performance After Crashing out of Garmisch-Partenkirchen

One crash turned everything upside down for Lindsey Vonn. Last week, she was on pace for her best finish since returning to alpine skiing, but a crash in the World Cup Super-G race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, changed the course of her race. With just over 50 seconds into her run, Vonn was half a second off the lead and in the hunt for a top-three finish when she lost control on a turn, spinning off course. Despite the disappointment, she competed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on January 25th but faced a setback again.

Well, the U.S. alpine team delivered an outstanding performance at Garmisch by finishing with three representatives among the top 11. But Vonn was not among those top spots. However, Vonn aims for Winter Games 2026 qualification at the age of 40. But at the same time, this Italian course was not good for her, as she suffered her second straight DNF. “I got hit at the wrong moment but that’s how it is. I made a mistake. It can happen. I wasn’t as fast as I wanted, but I have to stay patient,” she shared later. It seems she is disappointed with her performance. But who won the race?

Well, it was Lauren Macuga who clinched the first place. It was her first World Cup Super-G victory. Breezy Johnson and Jacqueline Wiles followed this with sixth and eleventh on the leaderboard. The race itself was intense, with Italy’s Federica Brignone winning in 1:35.83. Sofia Goggia took second place in the race against her teammate but suffered a shoulder injury during her run. Switzerland’s Corinne Suter grabbed third.

While Lindsey Vonn wasn’t the only U.S. skier to struggle on the Garmisch course. Isabella Wright and Tricia Mangan both had hard falls. The race was overshadowed by a horrifying crash from Austria’s Nina Ortlieb, who was airlifted with a suspected leg fracture. For Vonn, after impressing in St. Anton with a fourth and sixth place, finishing 20th at Cortina was a tough blow.

She reflected on the race, acknowledging mistakes but staying patient. “Maybe I would’ve had a chance to fight, but for me, it was too much of a risk,” she said. Vonn is facing some stiff criticism for her comeback. The multi-time champion remains determined and stays focused on the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Lindsey Vonn’s calculated comeback

Lindsey Vonn’s return to downhill ski racing wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. After retiring in 2019 due to persistent injuries, Vonn underwent a knee replacement in 2024. And that’s the reason for her comeback. She announced her plans in November and rejoined the World Cup circuit in December, where she quickly showed her form, consistently finishing among the top American skiers. Her return, however, wasn’t a rash decision.

It followed years of surgeries, extensive research, and months of on-snow testing across New Zealand, Austria, and Colorado to see how her body would respond at 40. But Vonn faced skepticism from some retired skiing legends. “I know people think that I’m insane. But I am actually kind of smart,” she said, defending her decision. Vonn’s not new to surgery and recovery, and she consulted with extreme skier Chris Davenport, who has continued skiing after a partial knee replacement, giving Vonn confidence in her decision.

However, some of her fellow champions aren’t as supportive. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Michaela Dorfmeister even suggested Vonn see a psychologist, while four-time World Cup champion Pirmin Zurbriggen warned of the risk of tearing her new knee apart, which could end her sports career permanently.

But Lindsey Vonn isn’t fazed by the criticism. If she can regain her strength and perform at the level she once did, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina could be the perfect way to cap off her second career chapter. Vonn is no stranger to the Olympics, having represented Team USA in four Winter Games and winning three medals, including gold in Vancouver.

After retiring in 2019 as the most successful female alpine skier in World Cup history with 82 wins, she’s now chasing one more challenge. Her old rival Mikaela Shiffrin has surpassed her in wins. But Vonn is determined and is focused on her goals, proving doubters wrong.