A visual reminder of why Lindsey Vonn was our best hope in Sochi

It would have been incredible — a miracle, even — to watch Lindsey Vonn whip down the Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort in Sochi this February. It was just under a year ago, after all, that the downhill gold medalist careened off the super-G course during the World Championships in Austria. After being airlifted and undergoing reconstructive surgery to repair several torn ligaments in her right knee, Vonn vowed to make it to Sochi.

But three months ago, she re-tore her right ACL, which was reportedly reconstructed using a 10-inch piece of Vonn's right hamstring. Ultimately, her Frankenstein knee proved too unstable and the 29-year-old announced today that she would not be able to compete in Sochi.

While we mourn the loss of the Olympic Games' cause cèlébre, let's take a look back at why Vonn remains the best U.S. female racer in history.

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