Lindsey Vonn plans to retire again after racing at the Olympics in 2026

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn is just getting started on her comeback to ski racing at age 40 with her new titanium knee. She already has an endpoint in mind, though.

If she can make it to next year's Olympics, when women's races will be held on one of her favorite courses in Cortina, that would be the perfect place to wrap up this portion of her career.

''I would never go past that,'' Vonn told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday in Cortina. ''It would be a great way to end things — for once and for all.''

First, though, Vonn wants to get herself back into podium contention.

She's heading in that direction after returning to the circuit last month after nearly six years of retirement. She finished 14th in her comeback race in St. Moritz, Switzerland, then improved to sixth and fourth in her last two races last weekend in St. Anton, Austria.

But she fell in downhill training in Cortina on Thursday — narrowly avoiding major injury.

''I don't know if it's possible. I have to stay on my feet, unlike today,'' Vonn said. ''I have to keep thing's going and if I can make it, it would be a thrilling and a great way to kind of close the loop on my career — I guess the second chapter of my career. But I'm really trying not to think that far ahead. I have to stick with what's on today and tomorrow and just kind of building and getting everything dialed in.

''But I definitely am thinking about it and I hope that I can get there,'' Vonn added about the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.

Vonn holds the record with 12 wins in Cortina

Vonn holds the record with 12 World Cup wins in Cortina — divided evenly between downhill (6) and super-G (6).

Cortina was also where Vonn earned her first career World Cup podium back in 2004, and where in 2015 she broke Annemarie Moser-Pröll's 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup wins across all disciplines.

Vonn also had the final World Cup race of the first part of her career in Cortina end in tears in 2019 due to the pain in her knees. She retired a month later.

''I've had so many great memories here,'' Vonn said. ''I think probably the two most meaningful was my first podium, which started this roll of confidence. … It's when everything clicked for me in downhill. And then obviously breaking the women's win record.''

Vonn isn't thinking about next month's world championships yet

The final race of Vonn's career before she retired the first time was when she won the bronze medal in downhill at the 2019 world championships in Are, Sweden for her eighth career medal at worlds.

Vonn could add to her haul, which also includes three Olympic medals highlighted by a downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games, at next month's worlds in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria.

But she said that worlds are not on her radar. Not yet at least.

''I'm kind of just chipping away at things,'' she said. ''I need to get a better starting number. I need to kind of be with the fast girls so I can be in contention for anything. The snow is exceptional here (in Cortina), so I think it's OK to have a later starting number here. But when you're talking about medals at championships, those types of things really matter. But I'm not thinking about it. … If I (could) make it to Cortina, that was my goal for the season.''

Vonn last raced in Saalbach in 2002.

''It was my first World Cup season,'' she said. ''There might be a VHS tape somewhere with my video on it.''

Tom Brady, Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams inspire Vonn

Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at 43. Lewis Hamilton is preparing to race for Ferrari in Formula 1 at 40. Serena Williams reached the semifinals of the Australian Open at 39.

All three inspired Vonn for her comeback.

''Tom, Lewis, Serena. They've all done it,'' Vonn said. ''The resources that athletes have now allow for a better recovery. So even though you're older, you're still recovering faster than I was when I was in my 20s. … It's changed the perception of how long an athlete can compete for. I think it's mainly a mindset shift, but it's possible.''

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing