Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is asking for help after someone stole a very sentimental piece of her gear from a car park in northern Italy. The incident happened on Thursday while she was getting ready for a practice run in the small town of Tarvisio, where she’s currently training for her fifth Winter Olympics appearance.
According to The Sun, Vonn immediately took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to try and track down the missing item. She posted a picture of the pole, which clearly shows her initials, L.V., written right on the strap. She pleaded, “Someone took my pole in the parking lot today in Tarvisio. If you have seen it please respond to this. Thank you.”
The stolen pole is more than just a piece of equipment to Vonn. When one follower asked about the importance of the lost item, she quickly explained that it holds deep meaning to her career. She responded simply, “They are 10 years old. They are special to me.”
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Losing a decade-old piece of gear right before the Olympics is a major setback
The 41-year-old star is focused on returning to the Olympic stage in less than a month, which makes this theft even more disruptive. Vonn is still competing at the highest level, especially impressive since she took a five-year career break from 2019 until 2024.
She’s looking to expand her existing Olympic collection, which already includes a gold and a bronze in the Downhill event, along with a bronze in the Super-G. Vonn is clearly back in top form and is winning races right now. She showed off her skill by winning the downhill race at the FIS World Cup back in December.
The skiing star has been incredibly focused on her comeback preparation, especially her physical fitness. Like other athletes who face challenges from teammates and coaching decisions, Vonn has had to stay disciplined through difficult situations. She explained that she realized she was too thin last season and has worked hard to gain weight.
Vonn sounds completely confident in her current state. She told people that she was probably the most disciplined she’s ever been regarding her diet and how she approached the entire summer. She said, “Physically, I’m in possibly the best shape I’ve ever been in. And my body doesn’t hurt, so that’s the best part of all.”
She added that she “put everything I had into being as physically prepared as possible.” Athletes often face unexpected setbacks, much like Riley Gaines’ security concerns at public events. Hopefully, the power of her social media reach helps track down the unique L.V. pole quickly so she can continue her Olympic preparations without any more setbacks.
Published: Jan 15, 2026 05:30 pm