Lindsey Vonn has never been one to back down, be it competition or her critics. Even after stepping away from professional skiing in 2019, the trolls kept coming. And when she announced her comeback in late November last year? Yeah, the naysayers flocked to shatter her confidence. But if they thought she’d stay silent, they clearly don’t know her. Fresh off yet another history-making moment, the skiing icon has a message for those doubting her—and trust us, it’s one they won’t forget anytime soon.

Lindsey Vonn has never let the noise get to her, but this time, she’s making sure the world listens. Fresh off a historic second-place finish in the Super-G at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, the 40-year-old bagged her first podium finish since coming out of her retirement. If you thought that was all, wait till you read this feat of hers! She has now added another page to history as she became the oldest woman to podium in an Alpine World Cup event.

In the competition on March 23, the focus shifted to Vonn when her teammate and fellow Parkite, Lauren Macuga, skied out and didn’t finish her run. And boy, did she make the most of the opportunity as the only American that day to cross the finish line. She came across the finish line just 1.29 seconds behind Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, who won the overall season title in the competition. Prior to this, the American’s best finish in the super-G was fourth place at St. Anton, Austria in January. Now that’s enough to shut the critics, right? Wait…

Taking to Instagram, Lindsey Vonn reshared the writer Clark C. Michell’s post on her story. And the bold message reads, “It’s time for you to stop letting people who never did it tell you why it can’t be done.” For Vonn, success has never been about proving critics wrong—it’s about proving herself right. And at 40, she’s still doing just that.

But the road hasn’t been easy—injuries, criticism, and relentless doubt. But if Vonn has proven anything, it’s that resilience is her greatest strength. “Everything I’ve been through has made me who I am today,” she shared recently. The skiing pro has had a long battle with knee injuries and has undergone almost nine surgeries throughout her career. While this has had a substantial impact on her competitive performance, she continued to register wins between setbacks. It was just in November last year when she announced her comeback after undergoing total knee replacement surgery.

And then there’s the emotional weight she carries. Just days ago, Vonn honored her late mother on what would have been her 73rd birthday and dedicated her Sun Valley win to her. “Miss you every day, Mom…This is for you Mom!! Happy birthday. I love you ❤️,” she wrote in a heartfelt tribute. Even in moments of triumph, loss lingers. But instead of letting it break her, she lets it push her forward.

But let’s be honest—Vonn’s return to the podium at 40 wasn’t supposed to happen, at least according to the naysayers. Some called her past her prime. Others dismissed her latest milestone as a fluke. But she’s having none of it. “I’ve worked for this. I’ve earned this,” she declared after securing her latest achievement. While the trolls hide behind their screens, she keeps doing what she does best—winning with an unstoppable legacy.

Lindsey Vonn’s unstoppable legacy

Lindsey Vonn’s skiing career is nothing short of legendary. With Olympic medals—gold in downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games and bronze in Downhill (2018), her resume still has more accomplishments. Vonn has eight World Championship medals, a clear reminder that she’s been at the top of her game for years. And when it comes to the FIS World Cup, no one does it quite like her.

With a jaw-dropping 82 World Cup victories and 137 podium finishes, she’s one of the most decorated skiers in history. And here’s the kicker—she’s still the only American woman to ever win an Olympic downhill gold. If that doesn’t scream elite, what does? After retiring in 2019, many thought Vonn had left competitive skiing behind for good.

But we all witnessed her comeback and recent finish. It would be safe to then deduce that she’s far from finished. With her sights now locked on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, the hype around a potential Olympic run is building fast. Only time will tell if she will add another epic chapter to her already legendary career.