AP
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Lindsey Vonn concluded her comeback season at age 40 with a second-place finish in a World Cup super-G race Sunday that was won by Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami.
Vonn found her vintage form while flying down the twisting and steep Challenger course at the World Cup finals. The American pumped her ski poles after glancing at the scoreboard as the large crowd roared.
This was Vonn’s first World Cup podium spot since March 15, 2018, when she finished third in a super-G in Are, Sweden. Vonn came out of retirement this season after a partial knee replacement.
“As much as I love skiing, it’s been a hard road,” Vonn said after the race. “I just continue to prove that anything is possible. I’ve been knocked down so many times in my life personally, physically, mentally, beat down and I always pick myself back up. It’s not always easy.
“It’s actually really (expletive) hard work. But that’s what it takes, putting one foot in front of the other and getting through the hard days. When you keep putting one foot in front of the other, it leads you to a place like today.”
Vonn becomes the oldest female Alpine ski racer to step on the podium of a World Cup race — by six years.
It was Vonn’s 138th career World Cup podium in her 408th World Cup start. She is within one of tying the most starts by a female racer, a mark held by Renate Goetschl of Austria.
Not that 34-year-old Italian racer Federica Brignone is all that surprised.
“She’s Lindsey Vonn,” Brignone said. “She’s not somebody coming back from another injury. She has qualities and she’s an amazing champion. Today, she put all the pieces (together) and did an amazing race.”
Gut-Behrami finished in a time of 1 minute, 12.35 seconds — edging Vonn by 1.29 seconds — to earn the season-long super-G crystal globe by overtaking Brignone. Gut-Behrami trailed by five points heading into Sunday’s race. Gut-Behrami found plenty of speed and took some calculated risks to glide through the course. Brignone finished third, 1.33 seconds behind Gut-Behrami.
The final season-long super-G standings ended up Gut-Behrami, Brignone and Sofia Goggia of Italy.
“Two days ago, I finally found the happiness again on skis,” Gut-Behrami said. “It’s easier to ski fast when you’re enjoying what you’re doing. I’ve been looking for that the entire season.”
On Saturday, Brignone officially clinched the downhill discipline after the race was canceled, along with the the overall title.
The next race at World Cup finals is Tuesday with a women’s giant slalom.