CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn suffered a crash and injured her left knee on Friday in her last downhill race before the Olympics. Nevertheless, she remains hopeful about recovering in time for the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
“This is a very tough outcome just a week prior to the Olympics… but if there’s one thing I’m capable of, it’s making a comeback,” the 41-year-old American shared on Instagram shortly after being airlifted from the course for medical evaluations. “My Olympic dream is far from over.”
Vonn became the third skier to crash during the World Cup event in Crans-Montana after losing control while landing a jump, becoming entangled in the safety nets on the upper section of the course.
After about five minutes of medical assistance, she managed to stand, though she appeared to be in pain and relied on her poles for support. Vonn then skied slowly towards the finish line, pausing a few times and holding her left knee.
“I crashed today during the downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing my situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further assessments,” Vonn mentioned in her Instagram update. “Thank you for all the love and support. I will provide more information when I have it.”
The race was canceled due to challenging conditions, including low visibility, following Vonn’s crash.
The American skier, anticipated to be a major highlight of the Games, limped into a tent for medical assistance before being airlifted by helicopter, suspended from a hoist cable with two attendants.
Prior to entering the tent, Vonn’s face showed concern, and her eyes were closed during a lengthy hug with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who was in the lead when the race was called off.
“I know she hurt her knee; I spoke with her,” said International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann to reporters in the finish area. “I’m not sure how severe it is, so let’s await the doctors’ insights.”
Vonn made a remarkable comeback last season at the age of 40 after nearly six years away from competitive skiing. Competing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has dominated the circuit this season with two victories and three additional podium finishes from five races.
This season, including super-G, Vonn has participated in eight World Cup races, finishing on the podium in seven. Her lowest placement was fourth.
The crash occurred precisely one week before the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Games.
Vonn’s first Olympic race is the women’s downhill scheduled for Feb. 8. She also intended to participate in the super-G and the newly introduced team combined event at the Games.
The women’s skiing events will take place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record with 12 World Cup wins.
On Saturday, she was also set to compete in a super-G in Crans-Montana, which would have marked her final race before the Olympics.
Vonn was the sixth racer to hit the course on Friday, having clocked the fastest time at the first checkpoint before landing a jump incorrectly. She raised her left arm and pole in an effort to regain her balance. As she attempted to slow down, she was spun around and ended up in the safety nets.
Prior to her crash, two other skiers also experienced falls: Nina Ortlieb from Austria and Marte Monsen from Norway.
Ortlieb fell in the same area as Vonn, while Monsen crashed into the nets just before the finish line and had to be transported away on a sled. The race was halted following both crashes. but, two racers—Wiles and Corinne Suter, the Olympic champion—managed to complete their runs afterward.
Wiles nearly struggled with the sharp final left turn that had ensnared Monsen.
Romane Miradoli from France, who completed her run early in the event, noted visibility issues due to falling snow.
“You can’t see,” Miradoli remarked, “and it’s bumpy everywhere.”
When asked about safety, she added, “We just couldn’t see very well.”
Vonn has encountered numerous crashes during her career, including a serious one at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria, during a super-G event under similarly difficult conditions. She was airlifted from that crash as well and sustained significant damage to her right knee, resulting in her missing the 2014 Sochi Olympics until her return the following season, only to get injured again.
Friday’s race commenced in a solemn atmosphere in Crans-Montana, which has been grappling with the aftermath of a tragic fire at a bar early on New Year’s Day that resulted in 40 fatalities and over 100 injuries. A minute of silence was observed prior to the competition.
The finish area was stripped of its usual vibrancy and sponsor advertisements, replaced instead by white and black banners featuring a ribbon with the message, “Our thoughts are with you,” displayed in French, German, Italian, and English.
