Lindsey Vonn / Crans Montana DH training / GEPA pictures
The women’s World Cup returns to Crans-Montana, Switzerland, for the sixth downhill of the 2025–26 season, racing on La Nationale — the same slope that will host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2027. With the Olympics looming and no more downhills before the Games, Friday’s race is not only a critical points stop, but the final competitive look at the Crans-Montana downhill before next season’s World Championships.
At the center of it all is Lindsey Vonn.
TOP FIVE — Women’s Downhill standings (after Tarvisio)
- 1st 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn (USA, 1984 | Head / Oakley) — 400 pts
- 2nd 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher (GER, 2003 | Head) — (–144)
- 3rd 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER, 1996) — (–168)
- 4th 🇮🇹 Laura Pirovano (ITA, 1997 | Head) — (–193)
- 5th 🇮🇹 Nicol Delago (ITA, 1996 | Atomic) — (–220)
- 5th 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia (ITA, 1992 | Atomic) — (–220)
Vonn arrives in Switzerland as the clear discipline leader after one of the most remarkable mid-career renaissances the sport has ever seen.
TOP SEVEN — Downhill WCSL (bib-order context)
- Bib 6 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn (USA, 1984 | Head / Oakley) — WCSL DH: 1
- Bib 7 🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson (USA, 1996 | Atomic) — WCSL DH: 5
- Bib 8 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER, 1996) — WCSL DH: 7
- Bib 9 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia (ITA, 1992 | Atomic) — WCSL DH: 4
- Bib 10 🇮🇹 Laura Pirovano (ITA, 1997 | Head) — WCSL DH: 6
- Bib 12 🇦🇹 Cornelia Hütter (AUT, 1992 | Head) — WCSL DH: 2
- Bib 13 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher (GER, 2003 | Head) — WCSL DH: 3
These seven athletes anchor the start list and will define the early pace on La Nationale.
2025–26 Women’s Downhill podiums (through Tarvisio)
| Venue | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Moritz DH1 | Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸 | Magdalena Egger 🇦🇹 | Mirjam Puchner 🇦🇹 |
| St. Moritz DH2 | Emma Aicher 🇩🇪 | Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸 | Sofia Goggia 🇮🇹 |
| Val d’Isère | Cornelia Hütter 🇦🇹 | Kira Weidle-Winkelmann 🇩🇪 | Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸 |
| Zauchensee | Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸 | Kajsa Vickhoff Lie 🇳🇴 | Jacqueline Wiles 🇺🇸 |
| Tarvisio | Nicol Delago 🇮🇹 | Kira Weidle-Winkelmann 🇩🇪 | Lindsey Vonn 🇺🇸 |
Through five races, four different women have won, and 10 different athletes have stood on the podium. Those podiums span five nations, led by the United States (6 podiums), followed by Austria (3), Germany (3), Italy (2), and Norway (1).
The story of the season: Lindsey Vonn, again
The defining storyline of the women’s downhill season has been the return — and dominance — of 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn. After coming out of retirement last season with a partially replaced knee, Vonn has produced a vintage campaign: five races, five podiums, two wins, and the downhill points lead heading into Crans-Montana.
Her consistency has come in a season defined by aggression and skill behind her, making her perfect podium record all the more extraordinary. On a slope that will crown world champions in 2027, Vonn again sets the reference.
🇺🇸 Stifel US Ski Team — World Cup Downhill roster
- Bib 4 🇺🇸 Jacqueline Wiles (USA, 1992) — DH rank: 15
- Bib 6 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn (USA, 1984 | Head / Oakley) — DH rank: 1
- Bib 7 🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson (USA, 1996 | Atomic) — DH rank: 8
- Bib 21 🇺🇸 Allison Mollin (USA, 2004 | Head)
- Bib 30 🇺🇸 Isabella Wright (USA, 1997 | Atomic)
- Bib 33 🇺🇸 Keely Cashman (USA, 1999 | Head)
- Bib 41 🇺🇸 Haley Cutler (USA, 1997 | Atomic) — independent
- Bib 43 🇺🇸 Tricia Mangan (USA, 1997 | Head)
- Bib 47 🇺🇸 Mary Bocock (USA, 2003)
With the standings tightening behind Vonn, Olympic implications looming, and the 2027 World Championships slope back in play, Crans-Montana delivers one of the most consequential downhills of the season.
Click images to enlarge
The women’s downhill takes place on Friday, January 30th, and begins at 4:00 a.m. ET / 1:00 a.m. PT. Fans in Great Britain can watch the race at 9:00
- 🇺🇸 United States: Live coverage and replay on Ski and Snowboard Live
- 🇨🇦 Canada: Stream on CBC Sports
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain: Races air live on Discovery+
Daily Program Women’s Downhill
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Women’s Downhill Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
