Lindsey Vonn is back, and she still has it! After five years off due to several injuries, the 40-year-old made her comeback to the Alpine Skiing World Cup on December 21 in a Super G race at Corviglia in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Not only did she secure a top-15 finish, grabbing some World Cup points, but she also shut down all those critics who wondered if her return was even necessary. Starting 31st, and being the first non-seeded racer, she showed everyone that age doesn’t slow her down.

Initially, some critics voiced their doubts about Lindsey Vonn’s comeback. Michaela Dorfmeister even suggested on Austrian TV that “Vonn should see a psychologist” and bluntly asked, “Does she want to kill herself?” But Vonn has silenced that negativity with a powerful message of her own. After finishing 14th in the Super-G at St. Moritz, she shared how much her mindset and strength have evolved, “The last few years of my career were so much different than they are right now.”

She further added, “I’m skiing without thinking about my knee, which I really haven’t done since I first tore my ACL in 2013. So it’s been a long time that I felt this good.” Vonn said, “I’m a little bit older, but honestly, I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I once was.”

In April, Lindsey Vonn took a major step in her comeback by undergoing a robot-assisted knee replacement, performed by Martin Roche, a specialist in complex knee issues. The surgery involved removing part of the bone in her right knee and replacing it with two titanium pieces. Just a month later, Vonn was already plotting her return to the slopes. Her decision raised eyebrows, as knee replacements are typically done for patients over 50. However, a former athlete warned her about the risks. But, Vonn, true to form, blasted the advice and continued pushing forward with her comeback.

Lindsey Vonn‘s response to Zurbriggen’s doubts

Pirmin Zurbriggen, the former Swiss alpine ski racer who retired at 27, is now 61 and staying active, even running a half marathon a year and a half ago. But when it comes to Lindsey Vonn’s comeback, he’s not so sure. At 40, he fears that she might push herself too hard and risk a serious injury that could end her career in sports for good. Zurbriggen believes Vonn might not fully understand the risks she’s taking and worries she hasn’t fully embraced life after skiing. He even questioned whether she could handle finishing 25th in a race, asking, “Can Lindsey accept it if she comes 25th?” which seemed a bit harsh given her legacy.

Vonn, however, isn’t backing down from the criticism. Despite the tough history of injuries she’s faced—from torn ligaments to fractures and surgeries, she’s pushing forward with confidence. Responding to Zurbriggen’s remarks on X, Vonn fired back, saying, “You know, I’m getting pretty tired of people predicting negative things about my future. It’s enough now. Bernard, Sonja, and now Pirmin… is there a reason all former Swiss skiers think this way? Did they all become doctors and I missed it, because they talk like they know more than the best doctors in the world.”

With her trademark determination, Vonn made it clear she was/is ready to prove the doubters wrong.