Skier Lindsey Vonn Crashes, Injures Knee One Week Before Winter Olympics Return
Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn‘s highly anticipated comeback may be over before it begins.
The 41-year-old ski legend crashed during her final World Cup downhill race Friday in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, just one week before the Feb. 6 start of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Vonn lost control landing a jump and became entangled in safety nets, receiving medical attention for five minutes before gingerly skiing to the finish line, visibly favoring her left knee.
The race was canceled following Vonn’s accident due to poor visibility. She was airlifted by helicopter to receive further medical evaluation, leaving her Olympic participation uncertain.
“I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her,” International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann told ESPN. “I don’t know if it’s really heavy and [if] she won’t miss the Olympics.”
Vonn’s return from retirement has been one of the marquee storylines for the U.S. Olympic team heading into the Games. She joins fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin as the headliners for the U.S. alpine skiing squad. Vonn’s potential absence could also significantly impact Olympic coverage by network broadcasters who had featured her comeback narrative prominently in promotional coverage.
The skiing legend initially retired in 2019 after persistent knee injuries but announced her return in 2024, undergoing a partial knee replacement to extend her career. She ranks second all-time in World Cup victories with 84 wins, trailing only fellow American Shiffrin’s record 108.
“This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics…but if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a combeback,” she wrote on Instagram.
Vonn won Olympic gold in downhill and bronze in super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Games, adding another bronze at Pyeongchang 2018. She also captured four overall World Cup titles and eight world championship medals during her decorated career.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Games run through Feb. 22.
The 41-year-old ski legend crashed during her final World Cup downhill race Friday in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, just one week before the Feb. 6 start of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Vonn lost control landing a jump and became entangled in safety nets, receiving medical attention for five minutes before gingerly skiing to the finish line, visibly favoring her left knee.
The race was canceled following Vonn’s accident due to poor visibility. She was airlifted by helicopter to receive further medical evaluation, leaving her Olympic participation uncertain.
“I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her,” International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann told ESPN. “I don’t know if it’s really heavy and [if] she won’t miss the Olympics.”
Vonn’s return from retirement has been one of the marquee storylines for the U.S. Olympic team heading into the Games. She joins fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin as the headliners for the U.S. alpine skiing squad. Vonn’s potential absence could also significantly impact Olympic coverage by network broadcasters who had featured her comeback narrative prominently in promotional coverage.
The skiing legend initially retired in 2019 after persistent knee injuries but announced her return in 2024, undergoing a partial knee replacement to extend her career. She ranks second all-time in World Cup victories with 84 wins, trailing only fellow American Shiffrin’s record 108.
“This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics…but if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s a combeback,” she wrote on Instagram.
Vonn won Olympic gold in downhill and bronze in super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Games, adding another bronze at Pyeongchang 2018. She also captured four overall World Cup titles and eight world championship medals during her decorated career.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Games run through Feb. 22.