Laura Pirovano Secures Historic Downhill Double to Overhaul Lindsey Vonn in World Cup Standings

Italy's Laura Pirovano wins back-to-back downhills in Val di Fassa, ousting injured legend Lindsey Vonn to lead the World Cup discipline standings.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 10:06 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from CNA

Home Snow Advantage Fuels Pirovano’s Ascent

Italy’s Laura Pirovano delivered a masterclass in precision on home snow this weekend, completing a remarkable World Cup downhill double in Val di Fassa. The 28-year-old followed up her career-first World Cup victory on Friday with an identical feat on Saturday, demonstrating an uncanny ability to find time in the most marginal of sections. By winning two consecutive races by a mere 0.01 seconds, Pirovano has successfully vaulted over the legendary Lindsey Vonn to claim the lead in the downhill discipline. According to Pirovano, the razor-thin margin of victory felt like historical compensation for past races where the clock had worked against her, describing the back-to-back triumphs as surreal.

The End of Vonn’s Comeback Campaign

The shift at the top of the standings comes as American icon Lindsey Vonn remains sidelined following a severe injury at the Milano Cortina Olympics last month. Before breaking her leg, the 41-year-old Vonn had staged a historic return to professional skiing after six years of retirement and a partial knee replacement. Vonn had dominated the early season, amassing 400 points through two wins and five podium finishes in just five starts. While her injury has effectively ended her pursuit of the season title, Vonn expressed pride in her achievement on social media, noting that climbing back to the top of the world rankings after such a long hiatus remained a personal milestone she would never forget.

A Crowded Field Chasing the Downhill Globe

With only one downhill race remaining at the World Cup finals in Norway on March 21, the battle for the crystal globe remains highly competitive. Pirovano currently leads the pack with 436 points, but Germany’s Emma Aicher remains a potent threat with 408 points despite a disappointing 12th-place finish on Saturday. According to recent standings, other contenders including Kira Weidle-Winkelmann, Cornelia Huetter, and Olympic champion Breezy Johnson remain mathematically in the hunt. Huetter’s second-place finish on Saturday, trailing Pirovano by approximately 28 centimeters on the piste, moved her to 344 points and kept her hopes alive for a podium finish in the final discipline rankings.