Lindsey Vonn Just Proved She Doesn't Need Her ACL To Ski

In case you've been living under a rock, Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old American ski racing legend, tore her ACL last week during a World Cup race that preceded the start of the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

Despite the injury, Vonn said her knee was stable enough to compete in Sunday's upcoming Women's Downhill ski race, but she would have to log a successful training lap, per Olympic rules, prior to the race itself.

Today, February 6, 2026, the US Ski Team confirmed that Vonn successfully completed a training lap on the iconic Olympia delle Tofane, securing her starting spot for Sunday's race.

Cameras were rolling as Vonn dropped in, and the collective skiing world held its breath. Tap or click below to watch highlights from Vonn's Downhill training lap. Keep reading for more.

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Of Vonn's historic 84 career victories on the World Cup circuit, 12 have come in Cortina, and six of which have been in the Downhill.

She's perhaps the most accomplished ski racer in Cortina's history, and the experience showed during her training lap on Friday. Vonn looked fast, logging a time just four-tenths of a second behind the leader at that point in the day.

Vonn tore the ACL in her left knee, but after watching the training lap, it's hard to tell she's injured at all. Her left leg looked stable as she drove big right-arcing turns, placing all of her weight and trust into a knee that's missing a crucial ligament.

For all of the doubters out there, Vonn just proved that she doesn't need an ACL to ski at an Olympic-caliber level. With another day of rest before Sunday's Downhill, will Vonn put down a medal-worthy time in Cortina?

After today's training run, and the countless injuries and adversities Vonn has consistently fought throughout her career, we're certainly not betting against her.

Tap or click below to learn more about who Vonn will face on Sunday. She's got her work cut out for her.