Analyze all Alpine skiing events between Milan and Cortina
USAT’s Sam Cardona-Norberg analyzes the differences between the Alpine skiing events at the Winter Olympics ahead of the Milan-Cortina Games.
take sports seriously
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn’s bib number could be a good omen.
Vonn will start 13th in the downhill at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Sunday, February 8th. The only other time this season that she finished that close in the standings was at the super-G in Val d’Isère, France, where she finished third. This was the first of her two super-G podiums this season.
Breezy Johnson, who set the fastest time in training on Saturday, February 7th, will become the first American to start in No. 6. Jackie Wiles, who ran the fastest time in training on Friday, February 6th, finished 17th. Vera Wright is 24th, last of the four American skiers among the 36 skiers.
Vonn finished on the podium in every World Cup race in this event this season and was expected to be the favorite to win her second Olympic downhill title. However, an accident eight days ago left her with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, bone bruises and a torn meniscus in her left knee.
Determined to ski at her fifth and final Olympics, Vonn has been undertaking intensive physical therapy, pool training and weightlifting sessions. She completed both training runs, recording the third fastest time on the second, but was canceled due to snow and heavy fog.
“I’ll be in the starting gate tomorrow and I know I’m strong. I want you to know that I believe in myself. I want you to know that the odds are stacked against me because of my age, lack of ACL, and titanium knee. But I want you to know that I still believe,” Vonn wrote on Instagram. “And usually when the situation is the most unfavorable to me, I bring out the best in me.
“Tomorrow I will be competing in the final Olympic downhill. I cannot guarantee a good result, but I can guarantee that I will give my best,” she said. “But no matter what happens, I’ve already won.”
