By Wolfgang Jenewein (Founder of JENEWEIN AG)

The Fall That Shook Me

I sat there with sweaty palms and fingers crossed as Lindsey Vonn, at 41 years old, launched herself from the start house for her very last race down the notorious Tofana. She looked confident and focused. She wanted to make up time right from the start, took an aggressive line, came too close to a gate, caught it, and fell heavily at around 60 km/h. When she came to a stop, the stadium fell completely silent – only her screams could be heard through the TV monitors. I could not watch anymore and was in a state of shock. What had she not been forced to listen to when, 1.5 years ago, she decided to return to the ski World Cup. “Stupid,” “dangerously reckless,” “a show,” “a joke.” And yet she came back.

The Dream That Brought Her Back

She wanted to win at the Olympics one more time. That was her dream. She fought her way through a tough year of withdrawals and poor results. The critics felt vindicated. But Lindsey did not give up. She learned, adapted, trained harder – and won. Lindsey Vonn showed us what is possible when you believe in yourself. She said:

Not “I am too old,” but “How do I use my age?” Not “It is too hard,” but “It will take time and energy.”

We have enough people in our companies who rest on past successes and constantly say that everything used to be better. We need people like Lindsey – people who want to improve every day and who are deeply convinced that our effort and attitude define our possibilities.

Courage Also Means Saying “Not Yet”

After this fall, an uncomfortable question remains: where do courage and willpower end – and where do recklessness and negligence begin? Was it too risky to race one of the most dangerous courses in the world with an acute cruciate ligament tear? Especially when it is clear that the consequences of a fall on an already injured body are incomparably more severe?

I had a similar discussion with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. He too was returning from a serious injury. His dream too was to compete at the Olympics one more time. He had traveled there and was ready to start. But after long conversations and honest reflection, he came – in tears – to the decision that it was too risky. It hurt him deeply to admit to himself that he was not yet mentally and physically ready for a course as dangerous as the Stelvio.

It takes courage to give everything and never give up. But it perhaps takes even more courage to acknowledge your own vulnerability and recognize where daring ends and recklessness begins. We often only celebrate the heroes who push through no matter what. But what about the quiet heroes who recognize: not yet. Perhaps that is precisely the more important inspiration for the young people who look up to Olympians like Vonn and Kilde.

This post was published by Wolfgang Jenewein on LinkedIn on February 9, 2026. Zum Original-Beitrag