Athlete retirement

Lara Gut-Behrami recovered from injury, but the desire to race again never returned. Her retirement closes a remarkable World Cup career.

A total of 17 athletes step away from the men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup in 2026, led by stars like Alexis Pinturault and Dave Ryding.

Vincent Kriechmayr’s future may depend on one decision. Will the ÖSV bring back the coach he says he needs to continue racing?

What happens when your sport ends and no one prepares you for what comes next? For many athletes, the transition out of sport is not just a career shift, it is a loss of identity, structure, and purpose. This piece explores the emotional reality of life after sport and how athletes can begin to rebuild.

According to the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, Jared Goldberg retires after 194 World Cup starts, leaving a legacy of strength, consistency, and speed.

Ilka Štuhec headlines a group of retiring women’s World Cup alpine skiers in 2026, from world champions to NCAA talent.

Former U.S. Ski Team athlete Hig Roberts joins Fresh Corduroy to share an honest look at life on the World Cup circuit, the mental and financial challenges of ski racing, and his personal journey beyond the sport.

French alpine legend Alexis Pinturault will retire after the 2026 World Cup Finals in Hafjell, ending one of the greatest careers in ski racing.

Romed Baumann ends his career in Garmisch after a record 167 World Cup downhill starts, closing a 22-year journey that included World Championship medals for Austria and Germany.

Dave Ryding closed his Olympic career with a 17th-place finish in what may also mark his final elite race. Sixteen years after his Olympic debut, Britain’s slalom pioneer leaves behind more than results — he leaves belief, legacy and a reshaped future for British skiing.

Dual citizen AJ Ginnis closed his career with a farewell Olympic descent in Bormio after a historic 2023 World Championship silver on Courchevel’s L'Éclipse and years of battling knee injuries to build Greece’s first World Cup podium success.

French giant slalom star Mathieu Faivre has announced his retirement, closing a career highlighted by 2021 double world titles, World Cup victories, and an Olympic medal

2025 Super-G World Champion Stephanie Venier has retired from ski racing after 11 World Cup wins and is starting a new chapter. The 31-year-old Austrian announced she is expecting her first child with fiancé Christian Walder, with their wedding planned for September.

Norwegian skier Rasmus Windingstad has announced his retirement after 11 years on the World Cup tour, where he earned three podiums, one victory, and competed at the 2022 Olympics. The 30-year-old giant slalom specialist will be remembered for his Attacking Viking style and consistent presence in one of the sport’s deepest teams.

Kenyan Olympic skier Sabrina Simader has ended her career despite qualifying for the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina. A lack of financial support and broken promises from her national federation forced the 27-year-old World Cup athlete to retire, bringing a premature end to one of alpine skiing’s most inspiring journeys.

Britain’s most successful alpine skier, Dave Ryding, has announced that the 2025–26 season will be his last. The 38-year-old slalom star plans to retire after his fifth Olympic appearance, aiming to end his career with a historic podium and a new personal best at the Games.

Lindsey Vonn capped her first season back on the World Cup tour with a podium finish in Sun Valley, showing she’s still a force at 40 — and not done yet. With the 2026 Olympics in Cortina on her mind, Vonn is already planning her next move.

Approaching her first World Cup race in nearly six years, Lindsey Vonn is back in her happy place. The 40-year-old feels stronger and better prepared to race than ever before.