"The guys don't have that much on me any more"

Last year Lindsey Vonn fulfilled her dream: winning the overall skiing World Cup. Now she’s got a new one: two overall World Cup victories. A chat about working out, split personalities and the scent of success.

Shortly before the beginning of the season you celebrated your first wedding anniversary. How did Thomas spoil you?

We didn’t really celebrate much. But there’s still so much time for that. We spent a very nice evening together and had a special dinner.

After training, how hard is it to shut off the killer instinct that you need to race down an icy slope at 100 km/h – and then to enjoy sentimental things like a candle-lit dinner?

Not hard at all. I always stay the same person. Even when I’m training or working out there’s a relaxed atmosphere, with lots of chatting and jokes.

But there must be a hint of a Mrs. Hyde behind the always friendly Lindsey Jekyll – someone who spurs her on for those extreme performances, wouldn’t you say?

Well, just before a race I’m not as easy going [laughs]. I don’t talk to anyone. I really need to be in my own sphere to concentrate, and I can also get really aggressive.

What did Mrs. Hyde do to stay the best ski racer in 2008/2009 – and how did Lindsey Jekyll try to keep a free head in the off-season for the other things in her life?

Last year I had to be careful due to my knee injury, but this year I was able to train better than ever. I concentrated on power training twice as much as last year, especially at the ASP Red Bull training courses. So I went to the ski camps in Chile and New Zealand much fitter ...

... where you also trained with the Norwegian men, among others.

Yes, with Aksel Lund Svindal, but also guys from the US team. I analyzed their runs exactly, and tried to take the same direct line as they do. And I didn’t do too badly with that. I think I’ve hugely improved in the slalom and the giant slalom, and in the speed disciplines a bit, too.

On your myspace page there’s a picture of you bouldering with European champion David Lama and World Cup winner Kilian Fischhuber. Was that a new element of your workout?

No, the photos are from last year when I had more time to try other things. This year I was pretty much always at the gym; played tennis – my second-favorite sport – to even things out a bit.

What motivates you during the really tough part of your training program? Do you imagine yourself standing on some future podium before putting another kilo on the dumbbells?

Mostly I think of my rivals and imagine how hard they train, and that makes me so nervous that I want to start training a bit harder than they do.

You didn’t quite answer the question about how you free your head up for other things …

Oh. In spring I didn’t do anything for a whole month. Just shopping and had coffee with my friends. That was great. And from April to August I didn’t put my skis on once. Besides that, Thomas supports me enormously. He’s always there with me and takes all kinds of things of my hands.

Your goal for the new season is pretty easy to guess: More of the same?

Yes. I want to win the overall World Cup again this year. That’s my most paramount goal, even ahead of the World Championships. But it’s going to be tough. Niki [Hosp] can beat me; Maria [Riesch] is amazingly fast …

Did you get anything for your birthday on October 18 that’s supposed to help you with your victories?

A huge portion of spareribs at the party I had with the team. And Thomas gave me an iPhone and some perfume. That secures at least one title: I’ll be the best-smelling competitor of the season.