wild card start position

Lindsey Vonn will test out the downhill and super-G courses as a forerunner before the Stifel Birds of Prey World Cup races this weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Marcel Hirscher’s highly anticipated return to alpine ski racing has ended prematurely due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. The eight-time overall World Cup champion sustained the injury during a training session on Monday at Reiteralm, Austria. The injury, described as a "harmless slip" caused by an inside ski error, also included minor damage to the outer capsule of his knee but did not involve a fall.

Marcel Hirscher will return to the World Cup stage this Sunday in Sölden, ending a 2,051-day break from competitive racing. The eight-time World Cup champion approaches this race without the heavy burden of past expectations, ready to embrace the thrill of competition once again. "So much has been said, written, and calculated," Hirscher remarked. "I’ll just go down there now, and then we’ll all know more.”

Just two weeks before the new season, Marcel Hirscher’s return to competitive skiing is creating a media frenzy. While fans are excited, one Austrian ski legend isn't as impressed. Hermann Maier, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of Austria's most successful skiers, openly questions Hirscher’s comeback hype.

Lindsey Vonn, one of the greatest ski racers ever, may be eyeing a return to the World Cup circuit. Rumors have been swirling, and recent evidence suggests that the legendary skier could be considering a Wildcard World Cup start position.