Lindsey Vonn places impressive sixth in first World Cup downhill in six years
Lindsey Vonn places impressive sixth in first World Cup downhill in six years
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Six years later it’s “Wow, Lindsey, wow!”. The racecourse commentator broadcasting Lindsey Vonn’s first World Cup downhill race since 2019 – the American is age 40 and has a titanium knee – summed up how impressive the ski great’s performance was.
![[Lindsey Vonn of the US reacts in the finish area during the women's downhill race on Saturday at St Anton, Austria.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/8c0057affdbb0dc8005f9ca61a1711f45a11f269/0_0_2737_2118/master/2737.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Vonn skied into an impressive sixth place, wearing an unfamiliar low-ranked bib No 32, in what she helped ensure was a race for the ages in the sun-soaked Austrian resort St Anton. The United States star – the greatest downhill racer in women’s World Cup history – was fastest in the first part of the course touching 124kph (77mph) and finished 0.58sec behind race leader Federica Brignone of Italy.
Vonn raised both arms in the air and flashed a big smile when she crossed the finish line and saw her time was fifth-fastest. “That was fun,” Vonn told broadcaster Eurosport. “I still made a couple of mistakes, I know I can be faster. “I haven’t started outside the top 30 since I was probably 17 years old. All things considered it was a great start,” she said.
Stunningly, Vonn was pushed down to sixth when World Cup downhill debutant Malorie Blanc wearing bib No 46 raced into second place. The 21-year-old Swiss prospect – who was not born when Vonn started her World Cup career – finished just 0.07 seconds behind Brignone.
