It's easy to read something into this: Lindsey Vonn was among the 48 athletes nominated Wednesday to the U.S. Alpine ski team for the upcoming season.
For the moment, that's just a formality based on results. The 41-year-old Vonn is still at least a year and a half — along with an ACL surgery — away from even thinking about returning to the World Cup circuit.
She may also retire. She's still sorting all of that out.
Vonn has already undergone eight surgeries
since her crash in the women's downhill race on Feb. 8 at the Milan Cortina Games. She suffered a complex tibia fracture that nearly led to amputating her left leg. Vonn was competing in the race on a torn left ACL, which she injured in a crash leading into the Winter Olympics.
The nomination process is the first phase of making the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team. Those ski racers who accept the nomination, and meet the requirements, will be officially announced to the team in October. The opening World Cup races take place with a giant slalom in Söelden, Austria, in late October.
Other athletes who were nominated include Mikaela Shiffrin, the reigning World Cup overall champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist, along with Olympic downhill champion Breezy Johnson. On the men's side, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who captured his second Olympic super-G silver medal in Italy, was selected.
Paula Moltzan and Jacqueline Wiles also earned a nomination to the A-team after combining to take an Olympic bronze in the women's team combined. Johnson and Shiffrin finished fourth in that event. Lauren Macuga is on the nomination list, too. She missed the Milan Cortina Games after tearing her ACL.
Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist, came out of retirement in November 2024 after nearly six years away. She was feeling healthy and strong again following a partial titanium implant in her right knee.
She found her speed, too, winning two World Cup races during the 2025-26 season and recording three other podium finishes in five races. She was leading the World Cup downhill standings before her crash at the Olympics. She wound up fifth.
Vonn, who's won 84 World Cup races, has maintained she's not ready to decide her future. Instead, she's focused on healing. Vonn recently attended the Met Gala, using only a cane.
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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing
