“I’ve had so many great memories here,” Vonn said. “I think probably the two most meaningful was my first podium, which started this roll of confidence. … It’s when everything clicked for me in downhill. And then obviously breaking the women’s win record.” Lindsey Vonn said days back about the Cortina D’Ampezzo course in Italy. For the unversed, Vonn holds the record with 12 World Cup wins in Cortina, 6 downhill, and 6 super-G. Vonn earned her first career World Cup podium here back in 2004, and in 2015 she broke Annemarie Moser-Pröll’s 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup wins across all disciplines. However, the spot has been somewhat bitter-sweet for her.

6 years back, in January 2019, it was Cortina where she had the final World Cup race of the first part of her career that ended in tears in 2019 due to the pain in her knees. After failing to finish a World Cup Super-G, she had told Swiss TV, “Now it’s time to listen to my body and it’s time to say goodbye.” Days later, she announced her retirement on February 1 of that year. But the slopes live in the heart of the woman. After all, she has picked up 82 World Cup wins, 20 World Cup titles, 3 Olympic medals, and 7 World Championship medals. “You work hard, you do the right thing, and when you’re in the start gate, you just want to go fast. I missed that,” Lindsey said in an interview with the BBC.

So, breaking retirement, she returned to wrap up some unfinished business. And quite astonishingly, it was that same Cortina where she made her World Cup return. Sadly, it was again heartbreak for her. Firstly, she crashed in the first training run on January 16. Then she failed to finish the Super G World Cup event on January 19. And coincidentally, she spoke about her retirement in the same spot, again. She told AP on January 17 that if she can make it to next year’s Olympics when women’s races will be held in Cortina, that would be the perfect place to wrap up this portion of her career.

“I would never go past that,” Vonn said. “It would be a great way to end things — for once and for all.” Looks like, despite all the disappointing memories she has in Cortina, it is the happier memories she wants to keep. So after the announcement, she penned down an emotional note for one of her favorite courses. “Cortina… how I have wanted to be back in the starting gate and to see the peaks of the Dolomites again! You never disappoint😍,” Vonn wrote in an Instagram post on January 22. But in the same post, she hinted that she is still that soul that is hungry for wins.

She wrote, “Wish I had been able to put together some better runs, but I still need some time, training, and patience.” And added, “Good thing is, there are some big races there next year.…👀.” But for now… it’s time to get ready for the next races this weekend in Garmisch 💪🏻” Yeah! Germany’s Garrmisch is the next FIS World Cup’s women’s downhill and Super-G race venue on January 26. Vonn is expected to compete next month at the World Championships, which is set in Austria. From there, she will again strap her skis to prepare for next year’s Olympics. But look how she has endured all the pain throughout her decorated career.

“My body is broken beyond repair and it isn’t letting me have the final season I dreamed of. My body is screaming at me to STOP and it’s time for me to listen,” Lindsey had said in her 2019 retirement announcement. Vonn’s right knee was permanently damaged from previous crashes. She had also torn ACLs, suffered fractures near her left knee, broken her ankle, sliced her right thumb, had a concussion, and more. But Lindsey Vonn does not just means win, she has been a trailblazer. So she did something that has probably never been done before.

In April, Vonn had a robot-assisted replacement performed by Martin Roche, a South Florida-based orthopedist specializing in complex knee disorders. Part of the bone in her right knee was cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. A month later, she started planning her comeback. “It’s a lot better than my non-existent cartilage. I feel amazing,” Vonn had said.

The point is, Andrea Panzeri, the Italian Winter Sports Federation’s head physician and an orthopedist who has operated numerous times on Vonn’s good friend and fellow downhiller, Sofia Goggia, said knee replacements are usually performed on patients older than 50. “This is definitely the first time in World Cup history that such a young athlete has raced with one,” Panzeri told The Associated Press. “And I’m not aware of any other elite-level athletes in other sports competing with one, either.” A trendsetter, indeed! But despite everything, Vonn is not rushing into things.

Lindsey Vonn’s comeback strategy: one step at a time

Despite an initial feeling of disappointment after the Cortina crash, the American star prefers to focus on the upcoming races: “I think in general this weekend was really positive, but I couldn’t quite put it together. I think it’s going to take a little time, you know? I think last weekend went so well that everyone’s expectations were really high.”

Vonn, who celebrated her 400th World Cup start, shared that she wanted to take a day-by-day approach after returning to competitive ski racing: “This is a journey that no one’s taken before. So I’m trying to be patient. I need more training. I need more time. And I think it’s actually kind of a good thing that I didn’t do well this weekend because it leaves me really hungry for more and also hopefully for next year. You know, I know that I need to make improvements. I don’t have really any training and there’s a lot of room for improvement.” She is not even thinking too much about the upcoming World Championships.

“I’m kind of just chipping away at things. I need to get a better starting number. I need to kind of be with the fast girls so I can be in contention for anything. The snow is exceptional here (in Cortina), so I think it’s OK to have a later starting number here. But when you’re talking about medals at championships, those types of things really matter. But I’m not thinking about it,” she said. While she has her own iron will in this retirement journey, she is also inspired by athletes who carried on in their 40s.

For instance, Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at 43. Lewis Hamilton is preparing to race for Ferrari in Formula 1 at 40. Serena Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open at 39. And Vonn looks up to all of them. “Tom, Lewis, Serena. They’ve all done it,” Vonn said. “The resources that athletes have now allow for a better recovery. So even though you’re older, you’re still recovering faster than I was when I was in my 20s. … It’s changed the perception of how long an athlete can compete for. I think it’s mainly a mindset shift, but it’s possible.” Yes, chasing the impossible- over the years, that is what Lindsey Vonn has been all about.