Wildcards applied for

Downhill comeback! Real endurance test for Vonn

Lindsey Vonn makes her downhill comeback in St. Anton.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Lindsey Vonn (40) has applied for wildcards for both races in St. Anton - the ultimate endurance test for her artificial knee!

A reunion after twelve years! Lindsey Vonn and Karl Schranz. The skiing legend from America and the course in St. Anton, which is named after the skiing legend from the Arlberg. The two had their last date in January 2013 - the Grande Dame came fourth and sixth in the super-G and downhill.

In 2013, Lindsey Vonn missed out on the podium in St. Anton.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Next week she returns to the Arlberg. Not as a tourist, not as an ex-star in the finish area or at parties - no, Lindsey has applied for wildcards from the FIS for the World Cup races in St. Anton on 11 and 12 January and the organizers are looking forward to the return of the 40-year-old, who made a remarkable World Cup comeback before Christmas with a 14th place in the super-G in St. Moritz after 2162 days in ski retirement.

And so Lindsey will be competing in the first downhill race of her second career in St. Anton. Five years, eleven months and one day after her bronze medal in the downhill at the 2019 World Championships in Åre - the last race of her first career.

It will be a real endurance test for Vonn's comeback. The Karl Schranz course is one of the most difficult tests on the women's speed calendar - the steep icefall alone commands respect from all racers.

"... then the knee holds everywhere"
And Vonn is known to be the only one on the start list at the Arlberg who will be venturing onto the race course with an artificial knee prosthesis. "If the knee holds up on our course, it will hold up everywhere," says St. Anton's OC boss Peter Mall wittily. Lindsey has of course already won in St. Anton in 2007 in downhill and combined.