Fans Suspect Lindsey Vonn Is Returning to Professional Skiing

Her recent Instagram posts have been stirring up excitement among her followers.

Lindsey Vonn / Marc Piasecki/Getty Image

Back in the spring, Lindsey Vonn was undergoing and recovering from knee replacement surgery. It seemed, after years of injuries, that the procedure was the best course of action for getting mobility back.

Now, months later, the former professional skier is back on the slopes. While far from the first time she has bounced back after a procedure, this time in particular is a testament to her impressive willpower.

From the start, the 40-year-old made it clear that she had every intention to get back into the gym—and back on the slopes. And that is just what she has done. After months of recovery and rebuilding strength, she's ready to take on a winter of downhill skiing.

Currently in Sölden, Austria, that's just what she's doing. The athlete recently shared a few outtakes from her trip to the alpine resort alongside what some fans believe to be a telling message. In the caption, Vonn wrote, "Loading... Been putting in the work here in Sölden. Having the time of my life and seeing how things go. Just happy."

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Followers seem to believe that there is more to the message than immediately meets the eye. "Is that a hint at a comeback? Did I miss something!!??!!" one fan enthusiastically wrote in the comment section. "Would be a wonderful comeback!" another added.

In recent weeks and months, several of Vonn's Instagram captions have suggested that the athlete is looking to the future. In a birthday post on Oct. 18, she wrote: "I can’t even believe the journey I’ve been on to get me to where I am today… so I won’t waste time trying to imagine what lies ahead …. Because there is no gps for life and nothing is guaranteed but… what IS guaranteed is that I will always live my life to the max. I will never have regrets and I will always stay true to myself. So I might as well jump in and get to it!"

Vonn may not have made any definitive statements regarding her next steps, but she did make it clear that she has lofty ambitions where her future is concerned. If you ask many of her fans, that future lies in professional ski racing.

Regardless of whether she returns to competition, though, one thing is for sure: Vonn will never put away her ski gear for good—regardless of what stands in her way (including severe knee injuries and procedures).