With a titanium plate and seven screws holding his fractured thumb together, Didier Cuche is confident he will not only race at the Olympics, he’s figuring he’ll do just fine.

“I will be ready in Vancouver and can attack,” he told reporters at the Schulthess hospital in Zurich after undergoing the surgery to treat damage from a GS fall in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia Friday.

Hand specialist Dr. Stephan F. Schindele said “the bone needs six to eight weeks until it is completely stabilized,” but added with the plate and screws Cuche “will be able to load the hand in much the former way.”

Cuche said he will do what he can to protect the hand, but that did not include skipping the Games. “I will show up,” he said. “Probably some improvision is in demand.”

Cuche leads the World Cup downhill standings and is ranked third overall.

Cuche photo by GEPA