Lindsey Vonn injury: Olympic downhill crash ends comeback bid in Cortina

Lindsey Vonn’s return to Olympic racing ended abruptly Sunday, February 8, 2026, when she crashed just seconds into the women’s downhill at the Milan-Cortina Games and was taken off the course by helicopter. The fall came as Vonn was attempting to compete despite a major left-knee injury sustained late last month, turning what had been billed as a high-stakes comeback into immediate medical uncertainty and renewed questions about her next steps in the sport.

Lindsey Vonn injury details from the crash

Vonn lost control early in her run—roughly 13 seconds after starting—before going down hard on the steep opening section. Medical staff reached her on the snow and treated her at the scene before an air evacuation removed her from the mountain. Her condition after transport was not publicly confirmed in the immediate aftermath, and no official timeline was provided for further evaluation.

The crash happened on a downhill track known for speed, compression, and large aerial features, where stability and confidence through the first technical gates can set up the rest of the run. A mistake at the top offers little margin for recovery, and Vonn’s run ended before she could meaningfully build speed.

A risky start after an ACL rupture

The incident landed amid scrutiny over Vonn’s decision to race at all. In recent days, she had acknowledged she was dealing with a torn ACL, along with additional knee damage described as bruising and meniscal issues. That combination is typically treated as season-ending for elite alpine skiers because downhill demands strong rotational control and absorption on landings.

Vonn had maintained that her knee felt stable enough to try, leaning on extensive strength work and bracing to manage the joint. Still, the Olympic downhill presents the harshest test in the discipline: athletes absorb repeated high-force impacts while also making split-second edging changes at highway speeds. Even when pain is controlled, joint stability and neuromuscular timing are difficult to replicate under race conditions.

What it means for her Olympic comeback

Vonn’s crash is significant beyond the immediate injury concern because it occurred at the centerpiece event for her attempted return: an Olympic downhill in Cortina, a venue closely tied to her best results and public identity. In the days leading into the race, the storyline centered on whether she could complete the run safely, not simply whether she could contend for a medal.

Sunday’s fall shifts the focus to medical clarity and recovery decisions. If the ACL rupture is confirmed as complete and acute, standard care often involves surgical reconstruction followed by lengthy rehabilitation. Vonn’s history of complex knee issues makes the picture more complicated, and the key unknowns now are whether there is added structural damage from the Olympic crash and how her overall knee health responds in the days ahead.

The broader race picture in Cortina

The downhill continued without Vonn, and the U.S. team still left the event with a major result: Breezy Johnson won gold, marking a milestone moment for American women in the discipline. The podium outcome underscored how fast the competitive landscape has moved while also highlighting the physical price of downhill racing, where even minor mistakes can lead to dramatic consequences.

Vonn’s exit also re-centered attention on athlete safety and risk tolerance at the elite level—especially when a competitor enters a speed event with a known major ligament injury. While athletes routinely race through pain, a confirmed ACL rupture is an unusually severe baseline for a downhill start, particularly on a course that punishes instability on jumps and compressions.

Key takeaways and what comes next

• Vonn crashed early in the Olympic women’s downhill on February 8, 2026, and was evacuated by helicopter.

• She had been attempting to race despite a torn ACL and other left-knee damage sustained in late January.

• Her post-crash status and any additional injury details were not publicly confirmed immediately.

• Attention now turns to imaging results, treatment decisions, and whether this ends her competitive return.

Looking ahead, the next updates will likely come in the form of medical imaging findings and any announcement about surgery or rehabilitation. If she avoids major additional damage, there is still the reality of an ACL recovery timeline; if there is new structural injury from the Olympic fall, decisions may become more urgent and definitive. Either way, the crash marks a stark turning point in one of the most closely watched storylines of these Games.

Sources consulted: Associated Press, Olympics, NBC Olympics, ABC News Australia