Lindsey Vonn is reigning as the top downhill woman in the World Cup standings, but she will not be in contention for the Crystal Globe. This was a hard blow, as she was sidelined following her crash at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Olympics, which required immediate orthopedic surgery.
Vonn was having a season for the record books, her second since coming out of retirement. She won two gold medals, becoming the oldest alpine skier to win World Cup events.
Lindsey Vonn Reigns As Downhill Leader in 2025–26 World Cup Season, but Will Miss Crystal Globe Contention
Vonn has been making waves across the internet since her first season after her comeback, when many doubted her ability to ski at 40. She silenced all the noise and continued competing, eventually securing her first podium finish in the Super-G finals in the 2024–25 season.
The following season, she finished on the podium in all five downhill races early in the campaign, setting herself up for more records ahead. However, a crash in Crans‑Montana injured the ACL in her left knee, but it did not obstruct her path to the Games.
The 84-time World Cup winner entered the Winter Olympics course as one of the oldest alpine skiers in modern Olympic history. Although she felt confident with her form, she succumbed to a fall just seconds into her downhill final race, immediately requiring medical attention and orthopedic surgery.
She currently reigns as the top Crystal Globe prospect in downhill, but the 41-year-old won’t be resuming the World Cup season due to her health. Vonn shared the updated standings on her Instagram story. Emma Eicher sits in second, and Kira Weidle-Winklemann trails in third.
The 2010 Olympic downhill gold medalist shared an Instagram post announcing that she had finally been discharged from the hospital after the most excruciating injury journey of her life. She sustained a complex tibia fracture, and her compartment syndrome made it difficult to restore the damaged muscles, tendons, and nerves. However, Dr. Tom Hackett and his team have been able to prevent her leg from being amputated.
READ MORE: ‘It Wasn’t All for Nothing’ Lindsey Vonn Blasts ‘Haters’ From Hospital Bed With Mind-Blowing Comeback Season Stats
The five-time Olympian then shared that she will soon transition from a wheelchair to crutches now that she is out of the hospital and will decide whether to remove the plate and repair the ACL with surgery during her recovery. Vonn’s last surgery was a partial knee replacement in 2024, which helped her live and compete pain-free and dream of another Olympics.
Vonn has often said that her decision to ski at an age when most retire did not stem from a desire to prove anything to anyone, but simply from her love for the sport.