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Lindsey Vonn Crashes in Pre‑Olympic Downhill, Knee Injury Threatens Olympic Start

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    Image: AP
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  • Lindsey Vonn at the finish area after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Lindsey Vonn at the finish area after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026. (Credit: (Alessandro Della Valle/Keystone via AP)) Source Full size
  • Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026. (Credit: Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP) Source Full size
  • Image caption, Vonn will have a short recovery time ahead of the Winter Olympics next week
    Image: BBC
    Image caption, Vonn will have a short recovery time ahead of the Winter Olympics next week Source Full size
  • Image caption, Vonn will have a short recovery time ahead of the Winter Olympics next week
    Image: BBC
    Image caption, Vonn will have a short recovery time ahead of the Winter Olympics next week Source Full size
  • Lindsey Vonn at the finish area after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Lindsey Vonn at the finish area after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026. (Credit: (Alessandro Della Valle/Keystone via AP)) Source Full size
  • Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026. (Credit: Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP) Source Full size
  • Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Lindsey Vonn holds her left knee after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026. (Credit: Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP) Source Full size

Crash in Crans‑Montana Leaves Vonn with Left‑Knee Injury On Jan 30, Vonn lost control on a jump in the World Cup downhill at Crans‑Montana, Switzerland, collided with safety‑netting and suffered a left‑knee injury. She skied slowly to the finish, was airlifted to a hospital for evaluation, and medics attended her on the course. The incident was the third crash of the morning and prompted officials to cancel the remaining runs as visibility worsened [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].

Vonn’s Season Dominance Highlighted by Titanium Knee Implant Despite a partial titanium implant in her right knee, Vonn has won two downhill races and stood on the podium in seven of eight World Cup events this season, leading the women’s downhill standings. She returned after a six‑year hiatus and a partial knee replacement, becoming the oldest downhill winner in December 2025. Her performance makes her a top contender for the Milan‑Cortina Games [2][3][4][5][7].

Olympic Schedule Remains Intact Pending Medical Clearance Vonn is slated to start the women’s downhill on Feb 8, with plans to compete in the super‑G and the new team combined event at the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Olympics. Training runs begin Feb 5, leaving just a week for recovery after the crash. International Ski and Snowboard Federation chief Urs Lehmann said doctors’ assessments will determine her eligibility [1][4][5][6][7].

Vonn Announces Determination on Social Media In an Instagram post, Vonn posted a photo of her injured knee, confirmed she is consulting doctors, and declared “my Olympic dream is not over.” She thanked supporters and emphasized her history of comebacks. The statement reinforced her intent to recover in time for the Games [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].

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Timeline

2005 – Bode Miller completes a legendary one‑ski descent of the Stelvio downhill at the World Championships in Bormio, showcasing U.S. technical skill and setting a dramatic precedent for future American racers [5].

Feb 27, 2010 – Lindsey Vonn wins the Olympic downhill gold in Vancouver, establishing her as a premier champion and later inspiring her comeback ambitions [1].

Feb 2022 – Vonn misses the Beijing Winter Games after tearing her ACL, a setback that fuels her decision to return to competition [1].

2024 – Vonn undergoes a partial knee replacement, inserting titanium components that later enable her to compete at elite speeds despite her age [1][7][15].

Dec 12, 2025 – Vonn posts a 1.16‑second lead in the World Cup downhill at St. Moritz, hitting 119 kph and cementing her position as the season’s leading downhiller [9].

Dec 13, 2025 – Vonn finishes second in the St. Moritz downhill, narrowly behind Emma Aicher after a mid‑run jump error, confirming her consistent podium form [8].

Dec 15, 2025 – Vonn wins the opening downhill of the Olympic season in St. Moritz, beating the field by 0.98 s and becoming the oldest World Cup downhill winner in history [7].

Dec 23, 2025 – Vonn officially qualifies for the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics, securing a U.S. spot as the downhill leader and pledging to give “her absolute best” at Cortina [12][17].

Jan 2, 2026 – Austrian slalom silver‑medalist Katharina Liensberger suffers a tibial plateau fracture, meniscus tear and MCL injury in a giant‑slalom training crash, ending her season and Olympic hopes [6].

Jan 11, 2026 – Vonn wins a second downhill of the season in Altenmarkt‑Zauchensee, Austria, extending her World Cup downhill lead to 129 points and reinforcing her status as a top medal contender [16].

Jan 21, 2026 – Breezy Johnson returns to Cortina for the 2026 Games, aiming for redemption after a 2022 knee injury and a recent back problem, while emphasizing mental retraining to control her high‑speed style [3].

Jan 29, 2026 – Vonn confirms she will start the women’s downhill at the 2026 Olympics in Cortina, describing her age as an advantage and framing the race as a personal farewell [15].

Jan 30, 2026 – Vonn crashes on a jump in the pre‑Olympic World Cup downhill at Crans‑Montana, tangles in safety netting, injures her left knee and is airlifted for evaluation; the race is cancelled due to low visibility, she posts on Instagram “My Olympic dream is not over,” and ISF CEO Urs Lehmann says doctors will decide her eligibility [1][2][4][10][11][13][14].

Feb 5, 2026 (planned) – Training runs for the Milan‑Cortina Games commence, giving athletes a final chance to fine‑tune their runs before competition [2].

Feb 6, 2026 (planned) – The Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics open, marking the start of the Games that Vonn hopes to compete in [1][2].

Feb 8, 2026 (planned) – The women’s downhill at Cortina d’Ampezzo is scheduled, the event Vonn targets as her first Olympic start, with additional super‑G and team‑combined events slated later in the program [1][2][4][13][15].

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