Lindsey Vonn gives her honest take on what disappointed her the most when she retired

Lindsey Vonn, who retired in 2019 due to injuries, made her return to competitive skiing in November. However, she recently shared what left her feeling disappointed during her time away from the sport.

The decorated athlete stepped away from competitive skiing due to knee injuries in 2019. Before announcing her comeback, she stated that one regret still lingered in her mind: the chance to race at Cortina during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.

In an interview with Olympics.com, Vonn spoke about her deep connection to the Cortina venue, where she earned her first World Cup podium in 2004 and set the record for the most downhill wins. These milestones make Cortina a special place for her.

"When I retired, I think the number one thing I was sad about was that I couldn't race Cortina for the Olympics. Cortina is a very special place to me. It's where I got my first podium (January 2004), where I broke the record (37 World Cup downhill wins)."

Vonn holds 16 small globes, the most by any woman, and shares the record for the most small globes in a single discipline (8) with Mikaela Shiffrin. She also holds the record for the most victories on the same course - 18 wins in Lake Louise, Canada and has the most downhill (43) and Super-G (28) victories by any skier, male or female.

Despite her remarkable achievements, she struggled with a sense of emptiness and depression following her retirement. Reflecting on this challenging period, she opened up about the loss of purpose that came with stepping away from the sport.

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Lindsey Vonn reflected on emotional challenges after her retirement

Lindsey Vonn Training Session - Source: Getty

In a July 2024 interview with Graham Bensinger before announcing her return to competitive skiing, Lindsey Vonn opened up about the emotional toll of her retirement. She discussed the feelings she faced, as well as the challenges of adjusting to life without the structure of her athletic career.

Vonn shared about her move to Utah, family struggles, and personal reflections. She also spoke candidly about the intense self-criticism that defined much of her career, making it hard to fully appreciate her achievements. Despite these challenges, Vonn acknowledged the crucial support from her former fiancé and family, which helped her navigate through these emotional hurdles.

"It was the first year after retirement, was hard I was depressed, and you know, just it was really hard time, but I'm lucky that I had PK (former fiancé) and I had my family, I had my dogs. Of course, my dogs that really helped me a lot to kind of get over that hump," Lindsey Vonn said. (57:47)

To navigate these challenges, Vonn sought therapy, which helped her reflect on her accomplishments and address her internal struggles.