"Simone Biles is the perfect example of what can be done" - Lindsey Vonn fires back at critics of her comeback at age 40

Lindsey Vonn is taking inspiration from gymnastics icon Simone Biles having made her skiing comeback nearly six years after announcing her retirement in 2019. The American competed in her first World Cup race on Saturday in St. Moritz.

Vonn announced comeback plans in November 2024 after undergoing partial knee replacement surgery earlier in the year. While she received overwhelming support for her unexpected decision, the 40-year-old was also subjected to some criticism for trying to come back at her age.

However, the Olympic champion believes she isn't the first to make a comeback at an older age and is taking inspiration from Simone Biles, who became the oldest woman to win the all-around Olympic title in nearly 75 years at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Speaking in an interview with cbc.ca, she said:

"I'm not the first person to do it; I'm just maybe the first woman to do it in ski racing. Simone Biles is the perfect example of what can be done at an older age — and she's not even old."

Biles, 27, is past the average retirement age in gymnastics but hasn't ruled out an appearance at the 2028 LA Olympics either. And while no woman older than 34 has won an Alpine Skiing World Cup race, Vonn is looking to break the age barriers in the sport.

"It's just outside of the confines of what we believe is the right age for the sport. I don't think I'm reinventing the wheel. I'm just doing what I feel is right for me but at the same time continuing on what other women have done before me," Lindsey Vonn added.

The three-time Olympic medalist competed in her first World Cup race on Saturday, December 21 in St. Moritz. She raced in a Super-G race and finished 14th after an impressive ski.

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Lindsey Vonn makes her feelings known on 14th place finish in St. Moritz

STIFEL Birds of Prey FIS World Cup - Lindsey Vonn in action - Source: Getty Enter caption

Despite finishing 14th in the Super-G race at St. Moritz, Lindsey Vonn was elated over the result and called it a perfect start to the second part of her professional career.

“Today was the perfect start. I had a solid run, got to the finish. The first one is the hardest. I felt really good," she said after the race.

Vonn finished 1.18 seconds behind the winner Conny Hütter and claimed she adopted a conservative approach during the first ski before getting closer to her best form in the second ski.

"The course was a little bit bumpy when I went, so in some sections I was a little more conservative with my lines. But in some sections, I was really fast. There’s definitely a lot that I have left to give, I just wanted to get to the finish today and be solid," she added.

Vonn was slated to compete in a downhill event on the following day but the race was cancelled due to bad weather. She will now be seen in action in St. Anton, Austria, on Jan. 11-12, which features each of the Super-G and Downhill races.