The China Mail - Vonn storms to 84th World Cup win in Austrian downhill

Less than a month before the Milan-Cortina Games, the 41-year-old dominated the shortened course to finish ahead of Norwegian Kajsa Vickhoff Lie at 0.37sec and American Jacqueline Wiles at 0.48s.

In challenging conditions, with a lower starting gate due to poor weather and visibility, Vonn was on form from start to finish.

She made the difference particularly in the second half of the race, taking very direct turns to gain more speed than the others and hurtle towards the finish line.

Returning to the World Cup circuit last year after more than five years of retirement, with a titanium knee replacement that allows her to ski pain-free, and motivated by the Olympics in Cortina, Vonn has rediscovered her best form this winter.

While she stated on Thursday that she was taking "no risks" before the 2026 Games, she once again confirmed her status as the dominant force in the sport with her second win this winter after St. Moritz, Switzerland, in December.

She climbed onto her fifth podium of the season in six races and leads the downhill standings with 340 points.

The race was interrupted after Austrian Magdalena Egger crashed into the safety netting.

The skier, who reached her first World Cup podium last month, second behind Vonn in the St. Moritz downhill, was airlifted to hospital, visibly suffering from a knee injury.

The World Cup continues in Zauchensee on Sunday with the women's super-G.

N.Wan--ThChM