Good and bad days

The oldest racers still competing on the men's downhill circuit are Christof Innerhofer and Adrien Theaux, who are both 40 like Vonn.

"Some days are good, some days not," said Theaux, citing pain in his knees and back.

Theaux suggested that Vonn could perform well, but "not every race".

Vonn is planning to compete in one more Olympics in exactly a year, when women's skiing will be held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on a slope where Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins.

"You can never write Lindsey Vonn off. You can never write someone of that caliber off," Alcott said. "I think actually her DNFs (did not finishes) and her falls are all part of the process. I've been proud to watch her taking those risks, because she's not coming back and skiing in a comfort zone. She's coming back being the Lindsey who always charged. And that will keep her in good stead going to the Olympics."

Agencies Via Xinhua