What to watch on Day 2 of the Milan Cortina Olympics: Lindsey Vonn goes for gold with torn ACL
United States' Lindsey Vonn smiles during a press conference by the U.S. ski team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Credit: AP/Fatima Shbair
MILAN — All eyes will be on Lindsey Vonn at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday, when the 41-year-old American goes for gold in the women's downhill just nine days after tearing the ACL in her left knee.
Here is a guide of what to look out for on Day 2:
How to watch the Milan Cortina Olympics
Viewers around the world can watch on official broadcasters, including NBC and streaming on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms.
Vonn aims for ultimate comeback story Sunday
Vonn will compete with a large brace covering her injured knee. Her other knee was surgically repaired with a partial titanium replacement in 2024. She crashed during the final World Cup downhill before the Olympics. She said her ACL is “100% gone” but she has completed two training runs ahead of Sunday's race in Cortina.
Vonn has plenty of competition for podium spots. Sofia Goggia is the 2018 Olympic champion who took silver in Beijing four years ago. Goggia had the honor of lighting the cauldron in Cortina to conclude Friday’s opening ceremony.
Germany's Emma Aicher won a World Cup downhill in mid-December at St. Mortiz, Switzerland, just ahead of Vonn. Other contenders include Federica Brignone (Italy), Corinne Suter (Switzerland), Cornelia Huetter (Austria), and Alice Robinson (New Zealand).
The race is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. local time (1030 GMT, 5:30 a.m. ET).
United States' Lindsey Vonn in action during alpine ski women's downhill training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. Credit: AP/Robert F. Bukaty
Czech snowboarder Ester Ledecka goes for 3rd straight gold medal
Up at the snow park in Livigno, Ester Ledecka, the dual threat ski and snowboard racer from the Czech Republic, can pull off a feat that Shaun White, Chloe Kim and the rest of the greatest snowboarders have never done.
She’s trying to become the first snowboarder to win three straight Olympic gold medals.
Ledecka will be lining up in the parallel giant slalom, the closest thing to Alpine racing that snowboarding has.
She knows about making history. In 2018, she won the PGS a few days after taking the super-G in Alpine skiing, making her the first (and still only) athlete to win gold in both a ski and snowboard event.
FILE -Gold medal winner Ester Ledecka, of the Czech Republic, celebrates after the women's parallel giant slalom at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. Credit: AP/Lee Jin-man
Kim will also have an opportunity for three straight on the halfpipe, but that doesn’t come until next Thursday.
The qualification round starts in the morning and the finals section is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT, 7 a.m. ET).
US tries to clinch gold in figure skating team event
Madison Chock and Evan Bates had a brilliant free skate Saturday night to give the U.S. a five-point lead over Japan heading into the final day of competition in the figure skating team event.
The men’s, women’s and pairs free skates on Sunday will decide the medals. It begins at 7:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT, 1:30 p.m. ET).
There are also medal events in biathlon, luge, skiathlon and speedskating.
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