Lindsey Vonn Suffers Setback In Lead-Up To Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games
It was supposed to be the final tune-up. A quick run through the Swiss Alps, a confidence booster, maybe a podium finish to pack in the suitcase before heading to Milan. Instead, the sports world held its collective breath on Friday as Lindsey Vonn was hoisted into the sky by a rescue helicopter, her left leg dangling precariously below her.
Just one week before the opening ceremonies of the Milan Cortina Games, the 41-year-old superstar crashed during a World Cup downhill race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. And let’s be honest: for anyone who has followed Vonn’s career, the sight of her tangled in safety netting is both heartbreakingly familiar and utterly devastating. We’ve seen this movie before, and we were all hoping for a different ending this time.
A Comeback Cut Short?
Vonn has spent the last year defying logic, biology, and perhaps a few doctors’ orders. At an age when most alpine skiers are comfortably retired, sipping cocoa in the lodge, Vonn was back on the circuit with a partial titanium knee replacement, tearing down mountains at 80 mph.
She hasn’t just been participating; she’s been dominating. With two victories and three podiums this season alone, she proved that class is permanent even if cartilage isn’t. She was poised to be the face of these Olympics—the oldest woman to ever compete in Olympic downhill skiing.
But Friday’s race in Crans-Montana was a mess from the jump. The visibility was terrible, the snow was flat, and the conditions were, frankly, dangerous. Vonn wasn’t the only casualty of the mountain; she was the third skier to crash in just the first six runs. The race jury eventually looked at the carnage, realized they were running a demolition derby rather than a ski race, and canceled the event.
Romane Miradoli of France, one of the few who actually made it down on two skis, put it bluntly: “You can’t see, and it’s bumpy everywhere.”
The Crash Heard ‘Round the World
Vonn was charging hard and actually posted the fastest time at the first checkpoint. But then, disaster struck. She landed a jump off-balance, flailed her arm to correct, and got spun around before slamming into the nets.
The aftermath was tough to watch. Vonn eventually stood up, but she was visibly in pain, gingerly putting weight on her poles and clutching her left knee. She managed to ski slowly to the bottom, stopping intermittently, before collapsing into the arms of teammate Jacqueline Wiles. The image of them embracing is likely to be the defining photo of the week, regardless of whether Vonn makes it to the starting gate in Italy.
This wasn’t just a physical blow; it was an emotional gut punch. You could practically feel the frustration radiating through the screen. After fighting so hard to get back, after the surgeries, the rehab, and the sheer grit required to race with a metal knee, to have it potentially end in a foggy net in Switzerland feels cruel.
What Happens Now?
This is the multi-million dollar question. Urs Lehmann, the CEO of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, spoke to Vonn and confirmed she hurt her knee, but the severity remains a mystery. “Let’s wait for what the doctors are saying,” he said to reporters.
We know Vonn is tough. But time is not on her side. The women’s downhill final is set for Feb. 8. That leaves precious few days for a miracle. If she can’t go, the Milan Cortina Games lose one of their brightest stars. But more importantly, Vonn loses the chance to write the final chapter she deserves. She wanted to go out on her own terms, fast and fearless. Instead, she’s currently in a hospital room, waiting for an MRI to determine her fate.
