Vonn injured in final downhill before Winter Games, says Olympic hopes remain

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (JN) – Lindsey Vonn was injured in a crash during her final downhill race before the Winter Games, raising uncertainty over her Olympic timetable but not, she says, ending her pursuit of another Games appearance.

The 41-year-old American fell heavily during a World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Friday, injuring her left knee in difficult conditions that ultimately led race officials to cancel the event. Vonn was later airlifted from the course for medical evaluation.

In a message posted on Instagram hours later, Vonn acknowledged the severity of the setback but struck a defiant tone. “This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics,” she wrote. “But if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a comeback. My Olympic dream is not over.”

Crash in low visibility forces race cancellation

Vonn was the third skier to crash on the upper section of the course, losing control after landing a jump off-balance. Television images showed her raising her left arm and pole in an attempt to regain stability before spinning and becoming entangled in the safety nets.

She remained on the snow for several minutes while receiving medical attention, then stood and skied cautiously toward the finish area. She stopped repeatedly, leaning on her poles and clutching her left knee, before entering a medical tent and being transported by helicopter.

The downhill began in low visibility with falling snow and was halted after Vonn’s crash as conditions worsened. Two other skiers — Austria’s Nina Ortlieb and Norway’s Marte Monsen — had also crashed earlier in the race, prompting delays.

Medical assessment ongoing

Vonn later confirmed that she had injured her left knee and said further examinations were planned. “I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams,” she wrote, adding that she would provide updates once more was known.

International Ski and Snowboard Federation chief executive Urs Lehmann said the extent of the injury was not yet clear. “I know she hurt her knee,” Lehmann told reporters. “I don’t know if it’s really serious and if she will miss the Olympics. We have to wait for what the doctors say.”

Vonn had been listed to start a super-G race on the same course on Saturday, but it was unclear whether she would compete.

Comeback season had reshaped expectations

The crash came at the end of a remarkable comeback season that had already reshaped expectations around Vonn’s Olympic prospects. After nearly six years away from competition, she returned to World Cup racing last season at age 40, skiing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee.

This winter, she had been the most consistent downhiller on the circuit, recording two victories and three additional podium finishes in five downhill starts. Including super-G races, she had reached the podium seven times in eight World Cup events, with a fourth-place finish her lowest result.

Those performances had positioned her as one of the most recognizable figures heading into the Milan Cortina Games, where women’s alpine skiing will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo — a venue where Vonn has won a record 12 World Cup races.

Olympic schedule under pressure

Friday’s crash occurred exactly one week before the opening ceremony of the Games. Vonn was scheduled to race in the women’s downhill on Feb. 8, with plans to also contest the super-G and the newly introduced team combined event.

Whether she will be able to start any of those races now depends on medical assessments in the coming days. No official diagnosis or recovery timeline had been announced.

Vonn’s career has included multiple serious injuries, including a torn right knee sustained during a super-G at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria, also run in challenging conditions. That injury led to further setbacks and forced her to miss the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Difficult conditions draw scrutiny

Friday’s race unfolded amid mounting concern over visibility and surface conditions. France’s Romane Miradoli, who completed her run early, said snowfall made the course hard to read. “You can’t see, and it’s bumpy everywhere,” she said, adding that the issue was not speed but sightlines.

Monsen, who crashed heavily near the finish area and slid roughly 40 meters, was taken away by sled. The Norwegian team later said she had no head injuries but was experiencing knee pain and would return home for further tests.

The series of incidents highlighted the narrow margin athletes face on high-speed downhill courses, particularly when weather deteriorates — a reality that remains part of elite alpine racing despite continual safety adjustments.

Subdued atmosphere in Crans-Montana

The race weekend in Crans-Montana was already taking place under a somber mood following a deadly fire at a local bar in the early hours of New Year’s Day that killed 40 people and injured more than 100.

Organizers observed a minute’s silence before the start, and the finish area was stripped of its usual sponsor branding. White and black banners bearing messages of solidarity — “Our thoughts are with you” — were displayed in multiple languages.

As Vonn left the course, she shared a long embrace with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who had been leading the race when it was stopped. The moment underscored both the uncertainty surrounding Vonn’s immediate future and the broader emotional weight carried by the event.

For now, Vonn’s focus turns from racing to recovery. Whether she can make another Olympic start remains unresolved, but her message made clear she is not yet ready to close that chapter.