Athletes Health

Lara Gut-Behrami’s season ended after a training crash left her with a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus. The two-time overall champion now faces a long recovery and an uncertain timeline for her return.

Lara Gut-Behrami suffered a serious knee injury in a training crash in Copper Mountain, and early reports point to torn ligaments. Here’s what we know so far — and what it could mean for her final season.

More than a year after his devastating crash in Wengen, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is preparing to return to Colorado, where he’ll train with the Norwegian team ahead of a possible World Cup comeback at Beaver Creek. His recovery has been long and painful, but his determination—and cautious optimism—remain unshaken.

Marcel Hirscher’s long-awaited comeback will have to wait. The eight-time overall World Cup champion, now racing for the Netherlands, has withdrawn from Sunday’s Sölden opener due to illness after a strong recovery from last season’s knee injury.

In ski racing and high-performance sport, female athletes often face unique challenges that standard training programs overlook. Physiotherapist Martina Plunger Beech is leading a shift toward education, awareness, and individualized care—helping athletes, coaches, and parents better understand the connection between physiology, performance, and empowerment.

Austrian standout Marco Schwarz says he’s finally pain-free and ready to tackle the Olympic season with renewed focus on giant slalom, slalom, and super-G after battling through two major injuries. The 30-year-old told Kleine Zeitung that he hasn’t felt knee pain since June and plans a patient buildup after a mixed comeback season. Schwarz will skip early downhills but continue limited speed training as he works toward full form ahead of the World Cup opener Oct. 25–26 in Sölden. Information translated from German and provided by Kleine Zeitung (Austria), with reporting by Daniel Jerovsek.

Federica Brignone, the dominant force of the 2024–25 Alpine World Cup season, broke her leg at the Italian Nationals, leaving her Olympic return uncertain just months before the Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Italian speed specialist Matteo Franzoso remains in critical condition after crashing in training at La Parva, Chile. The 25-year-old suffered severe head trauma and was flown to a hospital in Santiago, according to FISI and reports from skinews.ch.

Marcel Hirscher is back on snow. The eight-time overall World Cup champion made his first turns in the Zoetermeer indoor ski hall, 277 days after tearing the cruciate ligament in his left knee. The comeback marks the latest step for the 67-time World Cup winner, who returned to racing under the Dutch flag last season before injury cut his campaign short.

Sarrazin’s crash on the Stelvio, the slope set to host the men’s Olympic downhill this February, has renewed concerns about safety. The fall last December highlighted just how unforgiving Bormio can be in midwinter.

Organizers point out that conditions in February — with more direct sun and the opportunity to prepare the piste from top to bottom in a more uniform manner — should make the Olympic surface safer. Still, the questions raised by his accident continue to echo as the Games approach.

For Sarrazin, the focus is no longer on what was lost but on what lies ahead. His determination is clear: recover fully, return in 2026–27, and chase the dream of competing at the 2030 Olympics in front of a home crowd.

Federica Brignone underwent a successful follow-up knee surgery in Milan to improve joint mobility and accelerate her recovery. According to the Italian federation (FISI), she will resume rehabilitation immediately at JMedical in Turin as she continues her push toward a return for the 2026 Olympic season.

Federica Brignone continues her recovery after a leg fracture ended her record-setting World Cup season, and while her timeline for returning to training remains uncertain, her brother and coach Davide Brignone says the 2026 Cortina Olympics are still possible.

After breaking both legs in a World Cup crash, Sam DuPratt fought his way back to the start gate in Val Gardena—three years later, on the same hill. This is the story of grit, setbacks, and a comeback built on total ownership.

Six months after a major knee injury, Marcel Hirscher has been medically cleared to return and plans to use his remaining 17 World Cup wild card starts to launch his comeback. With training ramping up, the eight-time overall champion is focused on racing again—sooner rather than later.

Petra Vlhová, Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiercest rival, is battling to return after a second knee surgery. With her future in ski racing uncertain, she shares the emotional toll of her recovery and the hope that still drives her.

Federica Brignone, the 34-year-old Italian star who dominated the 2024-25 World Cup season with four titles, is now facing a long recovery after a serious knee injury. She’s out of the hospital and already focused on rehab—determined, upbeat, and not ready to quit.

ChatGPT said: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is recovering from a complex shoulder surgery that involved transplanting part of his hamstring—and he's already thinking about a return to racing before the 2026 Olympics. While the World Cup Finals play out in Sun Valley, the Norwegian speed star is taking cautious steps back to health in Innsbruck. Here's how he's staying motivated—and what might come next.

The regular season's final men’s World Cup downhill hits Kvitfjell on Saturday, with Marco Odermatt on the verge of clinching the season title. Franjo Von Allmen needs a win—and luck—to stay in the fight, while Dominik Paris looks to sweep the Kvitfjell downhills. With podium battles, Finals spots, and national start positions on the line, expect an all-out battle on the Olympiabakken track.