With her comeback season almost finished, Lindsey Vonn already turning attention to 2026 Olympics

SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Some nights, Lindsey Vonn drifts off to sleep by visualizing the downhill course at the upcoming Olympics in Italy.

That’s been the American ski racer’s drive, her reason behind this comeback at 40 and after a partial knee replacement. Everything she’s done this season — the races, the testing of her skis and boots, the physio — is designed with the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics in mind. After that, medal or no medal, she will retire again.

Although, there’s a provision in her plans — if she’s in contention for a downhill or super-G season-long title, Vonn will remain on the circuit.

‘‘This season is literally just a test run and a trial run to see what I can do,‘’ Vonn said in an interview with The Associated Press leading into the World Cup finals, where on Friday she turned in the 12th-fastest time during a downhill training session on the new course at Sun Valley. ‘’Just try to get the kinks worked out so that next year will be hopefully more like it used to be and more of a routine.‘’

When Vonn came out of retirement after nearly six years away from World Cup racing, Cortina was firmly on her mind. It’s a venue where she’s always found speed and success, as evidenced by her six World Cup downhill wins and six more in the super-G.

‘‘These Olympics, it’s all I really wanted to do,‘’ said Vonn, who has 82 career World Cup wins to go with three Olympic medals, including downhill gold from the 2010 Vancouver Games. ‘’Cortina is one of my favorite places, so that’s the carrot that was dangling in front of me.

“As soon as that’s gone, then I can go back to skiing some powder and playing tennis and living the life that I’ve been living for the last six years.‘’

Before receiving her titanium knee a year ago in April, an ice pack was her constant companion. She carried it everywhere to sooth the ever-aching pain.

Not once has she used ice on her knee this season.

‘‘Even when I crash, it doesn’t hurt. Well, not that knee anyway,‘’ cracked Vonn, who took a recent timeout from training to attend Paris Fashion Week. “It’s surreal to really think about where I was before my surgery and where I am now. I was living a completely different life, and I was just trying to get rid of my pain. And now I’m back trying to make it to the Olympics next year.

“I’m physically in such a better place. I feel so good and it makes me a lot happier. My life is just really good right now.‘’

She has two races left in her comeback season — a downhill Saturday and then a super-G on Sunday. She’s relishing the chance to compete in Sun Valley, given it’s the closest she will get to racing on home snow. Vonn didn’t have enough points to be in the field at the World Cup races in Beaver Creek, Colorado, last December.

Instead, she served as a forerunner that weekend to test out the course.

‘‘I was ready. I think I would have had a pretty good result," Vonn said of Beaver Creek. “This weekend, hopefully I can ski my best. It would mean a lot to me. It’d be a great way to end the season and to give me confidence going into next year.‘’

In years past, the end of a season usually meant some extended down time to heal — or surgery.

This season, she’s taking just two weeks off and then heading over to Europe to conduct more testing of her Head ski equipment. She keeps a detailed notebook and spreadsheet of how different boots feel, and how different skis perform in various snow conditions.

Given Vonn didn’t have much of a prep period heading into this season, U.S. women’s speed coach Alex Hoedlmoser was impressed by the progress she made.

‘‘She’s very, very fast again,‘’ Hoedlmoser said. ‘’She’s definitely going to step up again next year.‘’

Vonn doesn’t feel that far off from notching a win, either. Her best finish this season was fourth in a super-G on Jan. 12 in St. Anton, Austria. It was a race won by teammate Lauren Macuga.

‘‘I don’t need to win to feel complete with my life, but I think it would mean a lot to me,‘’ Vonn said. ‘’I love ski racing and I love going fast. It is a passion and I love the adrenaline. I love everything about it, but it is not the sole thing in my life.‘’

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