Tibia bone fracture after Lindsey Vonn crash at Olympics 2026 in Cortina

Lindsey Vonn was hospitalized after a high-speed fall in the women’s downhill final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, suffering what her team described as a complex fracture of her left tibia. The injury ended her race immediately and put a sudden focus on her short comeback run at age 41, after a season that had already included a significant knee setback.

The crash happened on the Olimpia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, during the downhill on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Vonn was evacuated by helicopter and treated in Treviso, where she underwent an initial procedure to stabilize the leg. In a public update, she said she expects multiple surgeries.

What happened to Lindsey Vonn

Vonn was partway through her run when she lost control after a course incident in the upper section. Descriptions of the sequence vary in small details, but the broad picture is consistent: she caught part of the course setup at speed, was thrown off balance, and crashed hard enough that medical staff stopped the race response immediately.

She was taken off the mountain by helicopter and later confirmed to be in stable condition while receiving care from both local and traveling medical staff.

Tibia bone and what “complex fracture” means

The tibia bone is the larger, weight-bearing bone of the lower leg, running from the knee to the ankle. In downhill skiing, the tibia is especially vulnerable because forces can spike suddenly during twisting falls, edge catches, or awkward landings.

A “complex tibia fracture” is a broad clinical description that can include multiple fracture lines, displacement (bone fragments shifting), and possible involvement near the knee or ankle joint surfaces. These injuries often need surgical stabilization—commonly with internal hardware—followed by a prolonged period of non-weight-bearing recovery and gradual rehabilitation.

Lindsey Vonn injury update and condition

As of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Vonn has said she will require multiple surgeries. Her public message emphasized that she does not regret competing, even as the injury has forced her to leave the Games early.

Her family has been with her during treatment. The overall tone from those closest to her has been protective and final-sounding, reflecting the seriousness of a tibia fracture at this stage of her career.

The ACL factor and the risk debate

The crash reignited debate around whether she should have raced after a recent ACL injury. Vonn had suffered a torn ACL shortly before the Olympic downhill and was medically cleared to start. People around her have stressed that the crash itself was not caused by the ACL tear, framing it instead as a racing-line mistake and an unpredictable course interaction—exactly the kind of scenario that can happen even to healthy athletes at downhill speeds.

Still, the combination of an ACL tear and a major lower-leg fracture is a harsh reminder of how little margin exists in speed events, especially on technical terrain where small timing errors can cascade fast.

Olympics 2026 context: Milan Cortina, schedule, and what’s next

The 2026 Winter Olympics are hosted across Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, with alpine speed races staged on Cortina’s iconic downhill track. The women’s downhill final took place on February 8, 2026, with the race start in late morning local time (early morning in the U.S. Eastern Time zone).

With Vonn now out, attention shifts to two timelines: her medical recovery and the broader U.S. women’s speed program. Gold-medal winner Breezy Johnson’s performance underscored that the next generation is ready to carry results even as one of the sport’s biggest names faces another difficult rehab.

Key takeaways

• Lindsey Vonn suffered a complex fracture of her left tibia in the women’s downhill final on February 8, 2026.

• She was airlifted to a hospital in Treviso and has said she expects multiple surgeries.

• The crash occurred shortly after a recent ACL tear; she had been medically cleared to compete.

• The Olympics 2026 alpine events in Cortina continue, with U.S. teammates stepping into the spotlight.

Sources consulted: Associated Press, The Guardian, International Olympic Committee, People