Lara Gut-Behrami Sölden 2025 / GEPA pictures
Injury Ends Her Season
Lara Gut-Behrami’s winter ended abruptly after a training crash left her with a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in her left knee. The injury halts the 34-year-old’s season before it truly began and interrupts one of the most accomplished careers in modern ski racing.
One of the Sport’s Great Champions
Gut-Behrami has won two overall World Cup titles, five super-G globes—including the last three—and one giant slalom globe. She is the Olympic super-G champion from Beijing 2022 and a two-time world champion with gold medals in super-G and giant slalom. Her consistency and longevity have made her a defining force on the women’s tour.
Surgery Set for Next Week
She will undergo surgery next week at Hôpital de La Tour in Meyrin, Geneva, where longtime physician Olivier Siegrist and Julien Billières will oversee her care. The exact timing of the procedure has not been announced.
Retirement Plans Now Uncertain
Gut-Behrami had expected to retire after the 2025–26 season, but the injury has forced her to reconsider the timeline. She told Blick that she wants to recover fully and has no intention of ending her career because of an accident. Once healthy, she will decide whether to continue.
Rehab Could Stretch to Nine Months
Swiss women’s head coach Beat Tschuor said a standard ACL recovery takes roughly six months. With additional ligament and meniscus damage, Gut-Behrami could face up to nine months of rehabilitation. If the process moves quickly, she could return in time for next season’s pre-season training.
Late-Career Comebacks Are Tough
Few women over 30 consistently race on the World Cup tour, and late-career recoveries from major knee injuries are notoriously difficult. Recent examples include Elena Curtoni, Ilka Stuhec, and Sonja Nef, all of whom struggled to regain top form. Petra Vlhová is also working through her own ACL comeback this season.
A Recent Example Offers Hope
Lindsey Vonn provided a powerful blueprint in 2024 when she returned to racing five and a half years after retirement—competing on a knee replacement—and reached the Sun Valley super-G podium. Her comeback shows that a return, while challenging, is not out of reach.
Two Champions Out
With Gut-Behrami sidelined and Italy’s Federica Brignone still recovering from major leg injuries, the World Cup loses its two most recent overall champions at the same time.
Information in this article is based entirely on reporting from Blick, with credit to journalists Marco Pescio and Benjamin Gwerder
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