Lindsey Vonn goes public with French ski racer boyfriend in summer vacation photos

Lindsey Vonn has officially confirmed her relationship with French alpine ski racer Matthieu Bailet, ending months of speculation with a series of intimate vacation photos posted to Instagram.

The 41-year-old American skiing legend, still recovering from a catastrophic leg injury sustained at the 2026 Winter Olympics, shared images of the couple kissing in a pool and relaxing together in a hammock over the ocean.

Vonn “hard-launched” the relationship on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, with a carousel post captioned: “About that time for a summer recap… pt 1❤️.” Bailet, 30, chimed in on the post with a teasing comment about “part two,” confirming the pair have been spending the summer together.

The photos mark the first time Vonn has publicly acknowledged a romantic partner since her 2025 split from business executive Diego Osorio.

Rumours about Vonn and Bailet first surfaced in May 2026, when the pair were spotted together in New York City.

They were photographed:

• Shopping in SoHo and enjoying a cosy lunch

• Riding the subway together, sitting side by side while waiting for the train

• Posing backstage at the Broadway musical The Outsiders on May 10

At the time, a source told People magazine the two were “getting to know each other,” stopping short of confirming a relationship. Vonn also fuelled speculation by commenting a playful side‑eye emoji on one of Bailet’s shirtless Instagram posts.

By June, the pair were seen together again at the Monaco Grand Prix, standing side by side before the race and smiling for cameras as Vonn showed off her recovery progress just months after breaking her leg.

Matthieu Bailet is a French alpine ski racer specialising in downhill and super‑G events.

Key points from his career include:

World Cup debut: 2016

• Olympic appearance: Competed for France at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

• World Championships: Raced at the 2021 and 2025 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

• At 30, Bailet is 11 years younger than Vonn, a detail highlighted in several reports about the new couple.

• Like Vonn, he is a professional alpine racer with extensive World Cup experience, giving the pair a shared understanding of the demands of elite skiing.

Recovery, romance, and a new chapter

Vonn’s relationship with Bailet unfolds against the backdrop of her ongoing recovery from a serious crash during the 2026 Winter Olympics cycle.

Earlier in the summer, she was still rehabbing her leg, but by the time of the Monaco Grand Prix in June she was appearing in public without crutches and showcasing her fitness.

Friends and sources have described the couple as spending increasing amounts of time together over the spring and summer, navigating public appearances and private outings while Vonn focused on rehabilitation.

The vacation photos suggest that, alongside her physical recovery, Vonn has found personal stability and happiness in a new relationship with someone who understands the pressures of top‑level ski racing.

A high‑profile love life in the spotlight.

Vonn’s romantic life has long attracted attention. Before Osorio, she was linked to high‑profile figures including NHL star P.K. Subban and golfer Tiger Woods.

In past interviews, she has spoken about the challenges of dating in the public eye, noting the difficulty of maintaining “thick enough skin” when everyone feels entitled to comment on her choices.

With Bailet, she appears to have found a partner within her own sporting world: a fellow Olympian and World Cup racer who shares her language of training, injury, and competition. Their joint appearance at events like the Monaco Grand Prix and now the very public Instagram “summer recap” signal a couple comfortable being seen together, both in elite sporting circles and on social media.

What’s next?

For now, Vonn and Bailet seem focused on enjoying the aftermath of a busy summer and continuing Vonn’s recovery. The “part 2” tease on her Instagram post hints at more content to come, and with both athletes still connected to the World Cup circuit, their relationship is likely to play out against a backdrop of races, training camps, and major events in the seasons ahead.

What began as whispers in New York City in May has, by late September, become one of the most talked‑about sports romances of 2026: an American skiing icon and a French World Cup downhill specialist, very publicly together.