Aces high as Vonn keeps cards up sleeve for Olympics
Lindsey Vonn of the US completed her hat-trick of back-to-back downhill wins in Garmisch to leave her with 80 World Cup career wins
Lindsey Vonn is keeping a few cards up her sleeve for the Olympics, which start next week, despite bidding to chalk up her 81st World Cup win on Sunday.
She is the woman to beat in the women's downhill race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Sunday -- the final World Cup tune-up before the Winter Olympics open on Thursday.
On Saturday, the US ski queen completed her hat-trick of back-to-back downhill wins in Garmisch to leave her with 80 World Cup career wins.
Having already won on the German piste in 2016 and 2017, Vonn, 33, clocked 1min 12.84sec, just 0.02 secs faster than World Cup downhill leader Sofia Goggia, who finished second.
Vonn will again go flat out on Sunday, hoping for a fourth straight downhill win in the Bavarian Alps, but the Olympics remain her focus having missed the Sochi 2014 Games with a knee injury.
"I think I skied a solid line, in some places I could have done more, but I am not looking to risk everything right now," said Vonn after Saturday's World Cup win.
"I skied aggressively -- don't get me wrong -- but I didn't leave all the cards on the table.
"I'll hold those aces for the Olympics -- they are up my sleeve still."
The women's Olympic alpine programme starts with the giant slalom on February 12 while the downhill -- the blue-riband event -- is on February 21.
Vonn wants more medals after taking downhill gold and Super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Her career stats -- 80 World Cup wins, including 41 downhill victories -- are impressive given her recent injuries.
She fractured her arm in November 2016 having broken her ankle the previous August.
- new rivalry -
The American says her rivalry with Goggia motivates her and she lies just 43 points behind the Italian in the downhill rankings before Sunday's race.
Lindsey Vonn of the US had reasons to be cheerful on Saturday after an 80th World Cup victory and a third straight Garmisch downhill
Vonn battled Maria Hoefl-Riesch on the World Cup circuit before the German retired in 2014.
"I always had this with Maria, you push each other and respect each other, it's almost the same with Sofia, she has also had a lot of injuries," said Vonn.
"When she is at the start, she always gives 110 percent -- just like me.
"It's all or nothing with her -- I like that. She is a good person and works hard. We need a personality like that on the World Cup circuit.
"When she is at the finish with the fastest time, then I know I have to give my all to beat her."
Vonn flies to Korea on Wednesday and is mentally racing the Olympic course every day to prepare.
Goggia narrowly beat Vonn into second place in both the downhill and Super-G test events last March on the Jeongseon course where Olympic medals will be decided.
"Sofia won the two test events in Korea and now it's time for a change," said Vonn.
"Everyday, before I go to bed, I run through the course once or twice in my mind.
"It was the same before Vancouver -- I was ready then and I am ready now for Korea."