Lindsey Vonn racing at Winter Olympics with torn ACL ‘definitely doable’, claims ex-champion

Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn is preparing for an extraordinary return to the slopes for the Winter Games, just days after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), with fellow American and former teammate Julia Mancuso declaring such a feat "definitely doable".

Vonn, the 2010 Olympic downhill gold medallist, sustained the severe knee injury, alongside bone bruising and meniscal damage, during a crash at Crans-Montana last Friday.

Despite the significant setback, Vonn revealed on Tuesday that her knee felt stable following treatment and she intends to compete in Sunday’s downhill race with the aid of a brace.

Julia Mancuso, who secured silver behind Vonn at Vancouver 2010 and claimed giant slalom gold at Torino 2006, noted that while competing without an ACL is not unheard of in skiing, the timing of Vonn’s injury presents a unique challenge.

"Normally it happens in the beginning of the season and they have a lot of time to strength train and test it out," Mancuso, who is the same age as Vonn at 41, shared on Instagram.

"This is going to be unique because she’s going to be testing it in the training runs and we’re going to be watching it and experiencing it live with her."

With minimal time for preparation between the injury and the race, and only two training runs scheduled before Sunday, Mancuso highlighted the uncertainty surrounding both Vonn’s condition and the mountain.

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"There’s not a lot of time to do any other training, so I think we’ll all be on the edge of our seats for that," she said, adding that forecast snowfall could lead to difficult conditions, rather than "the perfect Cortina we’re used to".

Racing without an ACL, relying solely on a brace, "can be very difficult, but it’s definitely doable, especially with no swelling," Mancuso explained, acknowledging Vonn’s own admission that she would not be the same athlete as before the crash.

"She’s still going to try and do her best," Mancuso affirmed. "I think we’re going to live that experience with her ... hoping she can find the strength to finish the downhill course and hopefully get a good result."

Vonn made her return to elite racing in 2024 after a nearly six-year hiatus and right knee replacement surgery.

She enjoyed a strong 2025-26 season, achieving podium finishes in every downhill event she completed prior to the Crans-Montana incident.

Her immediate focus remains Sunday's downhill on Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Olympia delle Tofane, with any decisions regarding future races to be made day by day.

To be eligible to compete, Vonn must successfully complete at least one of the downhill training sessions, the first of which is scheduled for Thursday.