Lindsey Vonn Ditches Crutches, Sparks Dating Rumors With French Skier

Just when Lindsey Vonn seemed ready to focus entirely on her comeback, she’s making headlines for reasons that have nothing to do with ski slopes. The 41-year-old alpine racer and French skier Matthieu Bailet, 30, were spotted together in New York City on Thursday, May 7, prompting whispers about whether there’s more than professional camaraderie between them.

The pair was photographed walking through SoHo and waiting for the subway together, according to images obtained by Page Six. While neither has publicly confirmed any romantic connection, they do follow each other on social media—and they share more than just a casual interest in skiing. Both are accomplished World Cup competitors, so it’s not entirely surprising they’d cross paths. Still, the timing is noteworthy given Vonn’s recent milestones in her recovery journey.

Speaking of which, Vonn’s presence at the Met Gala earlier that week might be the bigger story. For the first time since her catastrophic crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy in February, she left her crutches behind. She walked the red carpet in a stunning custom Thom Browne gown—a moment she’d been anticipating for months. In an interview with Vogue ahead of the event, Vonn called it her coming-out party, describing the significance of ditching her crutches and being around people again, feeling feminine and whole rather than injured.

The road to that moment was brutal. Vonn suffered a compound fracture and tibial plateau fracture in her left leg after crashing at the Milano Cortina Games, followed by multiple surgeries—including one to save the leg itself after she developed compartment syndrome. Days before that Olympic crash, she’d torn her ACL at the World Cup in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Against those odds, she still competed in the Olympics, convinced her body could handle it. It couldn’t.

What followed was months of intense rehabilitation including hyperbaric chamber sessions and a grueling workout regimen. Progress was agonizingly slow, which took a mental toll alongside the physical one. By May, stepping onto that Met Gala staircase without assistance represented something far larger than a fashion moment—it was proof of her resilience.

Whether a potential connection with Bailet becomes something more remains to be seen. What’s clear is that Vonn isn’t letting her injuries define her narrative. She’s writing the next chapter on her own terms.