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Lindsey Vonn skied to World Cup victory in Italy Saturday to reignite her Olympic hopes and move to within seven of the record of World Cup wins.
The 33-year-old triumphed in the downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo to take her tally to 79 World Cup victories, the most of any woman and second only to the 86 of Swedish slalom legend Ingemar Stenmark.
“My focus right now is so much on the Olympics that I haven’t really thought about it that much this season,” Vonn said of Stenmark’s record. “After the Olympics, that will be my No. 1 priority again and I’ll try to rack up as many wins as possible before I retire.”
The American clocked 1 minute, 36.48 seconds on the sun-drenched Olympia delle Tofane course for a 0.92-second advantage over Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein.
“I know what I’m capable of. This weekend just proves it,” Vonn said. “No matter what happens from here to the Olympics I’ll be confident. I have a good feeling on my skis. I feel balanced, in control and solid. This weekend was really important for me. “This is just the momentum that I was hoping for and that I was planning on going to the Olympics,” added Vonn, who celebrated by riding an electric bicycle — a gift from the local organizing committee — around on the snow in the finish area.
