Petra Vlhova is working on her comeback. © APA/afp / VESA MOILANEN

Vlhova gets a taste of World Cup air again

Eleven months after her cruciate ligament tear, TV cameras caught Petra Vlhova in Semmering. The Slovakian is getting a taste of World Cup action again, but a comeback is not yet in sight.

29 December 2024

From: never

With a cheerful smile and a cheerful greeting into the camera, Petra Vlhova has returned - at least on the sidelines of the World Cup. A comeback is not yet in sight for the overall World Cup winner of the 2020/21 season around eleven months after her cruciate ligament tear. Step by step, the 29-year-old Slovakian is working her way back onto the big stage.

"I'm fine. I'm happy to be here. This time I'm seeing everything from the other side," she said in an interview with ORF an insight. She is working on her return with great optimism, but positive thoughts alone will not get her on the slopes. "I need time to come back. My knee is not up to scratch yet. It's OK for my private life, but I'm not ready to perform at 100 percent yet," she admitted.

Vlhova doubts participation in the World Cup

A hasty return to the World Cup involves a number of risks, which is why Vlhova doesn't want to take any risks. "You can't force it, that's just the way it is," she explained. Cartilage problems have slowed the slalom specialist down in recent months, but things are looking better now. "But I've also lost weight and muscle mass. We're working on that step by step."

"But I hope to be back soon. I don't know when that will be." Peter Vlhova

A few days ago she posted a video in which she was doing some turns in the snow in her hometown of Jasna. Despite the beautiful pictures, she still has a long way to go. "Ski training will come at some point, that will be a day-to-day decision. But I hope to be back soon. I don't know when that will be," said Vlhova.

The 4 Ski World Championships will take place in Saalbach between February 16 and 2025. Will Vlhova be there? "I don't want to say yes or no," she replied, after initially taking a long time to answer. "We will try to do a few more races. As I said, it's a day-to-day thing. It depends on how my knee is and how it reacts."