FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2018, file photo, United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, women's world Cup downhill race, in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany. Vonn is hoping to return from injury in January 2019 and resume her pursuit of the all-time World Cup wins record, according to the U.S. Ski Team's head coach. Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia is also hoping to return from injury in January. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2018, file photo, United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, women's world Cup downhill race, in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany. Vonn is hoping to return from injury in January 2019 and resume her pursuit of the all-time World Cup wins record, according to the U.S. Ski Team's head coach. Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia is also hoping to return from injury in January. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti, File) Credit: ap file — Gabriele Facciotti

Selva Di Val Gardena, Italy — Lindsey Vonn is hoping to return from injury next month and resume her pursuit of the all-time World Cup wins record, according to the U.S. Ski Team’s head coach.

“That’s what we’re hopeful for. That’s the plan,” Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Vonn hyperextended and sprained a ligament in her knee during a training crash on Nov. 19. She also suffered a bone bruise in the crash, in which she fell on a turn, did the splits and went into the protective fence.

January would be an opportune time for Vonn to return, since there are three consecutive weekends of speed races, downhill and super-G, which are Vonn’s specialties.

The series opens on Jan. 12-13 in St. Anton, Austria, followed by stops in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. A win or two in that stretch would move Vonn closer to the mark of 86 victories set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark.

Vonn has 82 wins. However, Vonn has not returned to on-snow training yet.

“She’s just doing rehab and strength and conditioning,” Kristofic said, adding that there is no precise date set for her return to ski training. “It really depends on how things go when she’s not on snow. It’s sort of day by day.”

The 34-year-old Vonn was planning to retire at the end of this season, but the injury prompted her to announce recently that she plans to come back for one more series of speed races in Lake Louise, Alberta, next season.

Kristofic said Vonn is also expected to compete in one more final major event — the world championships in Are, Sweden, in February.

Mikaela Shiffrin will also be missing from speed races on Tuesday and Wednesday in Val Gardena. The overall World Cup leader is resting after winning her last three races and with a big set of events coming up in her specialties of slalom and giant slalom.

Hirscher Extends Record

La Villa, Italy — Marcel Hirscher dominated to extend his record by winning the Alta Badia giant slalom for a sixth straight year on Sunday and reclaimed the overall World Cup lead.

Adding to his first-run advantage, Hirscher finished a massive 2.53 seconds ahead of France’s Thomas Fanara, who moved up from 14th after the opening leg.

Alexis Pinturault, another Frenchman, finished third, 2.69 behind.

Hirscher already became the first man to win five successive GS races at a single ski resort with his victory in Badia last year.

Swiss Skier Doing Better

Selva Di Val Gardena, Italy — The Swiss team said that “scans on the skull showed no serious injury” to Marc Gisin following his dramatic crash in a World Cup downhill but the skier does have several broken bones elsewhere on his body.

A team statement on Sunday said Gisin fractured several ribs on his right side, his right lung was also injured, his pelvis was dented slightly, plus he has a “few, non-serious fractures on the spine.”

The 30-year-old Gisin lost control before a jump midway down on Saturday, flew into the air and landed awkwardly on his side and back, right in the middle of the Saslong course’s famous camel bumps.

He was then bumped into the air again and the back of his head hit the snow in a second impact.

He was lying motionless on the course before doctors and trainers arrived for assistance.

A rescue helicopter landed on the snow and took off for the hospital in nearby Bolzano with Gisin onboard after he had received treatment for almost a half-hour. Gisin was then airlifted to Lucerne later Saturday evening.

Gisin already had a concussion following a crash in Kitzbuehel, Austria, in 2015.

His best career results are two fifth-place finishes in the Kitzbuehel downhill last season and in 2016.

Gisin’s sisters are both highly successful skiers.

Dominique Gisin won gold in downhill at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and Michelle Gisin won combined at the Pyeongchang Games in February.

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