Winter Olympics icon Lindsey Vonn taken to hospital after skiing crash

Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital after a crash in her final Alpine Skiing World Cup event in worrying scenes just days before the start of the Winter Olympics.

The American skiing legend, 41, lost control after landing a jump on the course in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, before skidding into the safety netting.

She got up after receiving medical attention for about 5 minutes, seemingly in pain and using her poles to steady herself. Vonn then skied slowly to the finish line, stopping a couple of times on the way down and clutching her left knee. 

Vonn is one of the most decorated skiers of all time and embarking on an incredible comeback to the sport going into next week's Games. But now, there is huge concern over whether she'll be able to participate at all.

'I know she hurt her knee, I talked to her,' the International Ski and Snowboard Federation CEO Urs Lehmann told reporters in the finish area. 

'I don't know if it's really heavy and (if) she won´t miss the Olympics. Let's wait for what the doctors are saying.'

She was further assessed inside the medical tent before being airlifted away. Organizers cancelled the World Cup race after her crash due to the incessant snowfall.

One of her fellow competitors, Romane Miradoli of France, raised the alarm over the conditions and visibility. 

'You can't see, and it's bumpy everywhere,' she said. 'We just couldn't see well.'

Miradoli was one of the few skiers to complete her run. 

Vonn made a stunning comeback last season at age 40 after nearly six years away from ski racing. Skiing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has been the circuit´s leading downhiller this season with two victories and three other podium finishes in the five races.

Including Super-G, Vonn had completed eight World Cup races this season and finished on the podium in seven of them. Her worst finish was fourth.

Vonn has won four World Cup overall championships and was among the favourites for the women's downhill at the Winter Olympics, which begins on Friday next week. 

The US Ski and Snowboard team simply said in a statement Friday morning that Vonn is 'being evaluated'.

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Lindsey Vonn, 41, opens up on being single at the Olympics for the first time and her shock comeback

In a recent interview with SELF, Vonn had explained that these coming Games in Italy would be her last, no matter what happened.

'No, no, no.' That’s all she wrote. 'This is 24 years after my first Olympics. I’ve won everything I could have ever won,' she said.

'I’m not doing this to prove anything to anyone. I’m doing this because I think I can do well, it’s a meaningful place for me, and I think I can make a positive impact… But I don’t have to.

'I’m going to stand on the starting gate with a lot of clarity, and a lot of perspective, and a lot of wisdom and knowledge that you don’t have when you're younger. 

'I think my age in this scenario is an advantage, and I’m gonna use that to the best of my ability.'

Vonn, who previously dated Tiger Woods and was once engaged to hockey player P.K. Subban, also said she is single for an Olympics for the first time.

'I have never been single going into any Olympics in my life,' she said. 'So I’m excited to try that out. It’s been really nice to just be focused on myself.'

She and golf great Woods split in 2015 after nearly three years together.

'Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart,' Vonn said at the time. 'I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart.'

Speaking back in December, she was confident that the injuries that she has battled against so much in the past would be behind her.

'Physically, I'm in possibly the best shape I've ever been in,' she said. 'And my body doesn't hurt, so that's the best part of all.'

Over the summer, Vonn committed to re-building her strength in the offseason, as she felt she lacked in her 2024-25 return season.

'My goal was to get a lot stronger this summer,' she said. 'I was thinner than I would have liked last season. I was still quite a bit lighter than I was when I was racing in my prime.'

However, after 'a lot of hard work', Vonn says she was 'able to gain about 12 pounds' over her offseason.

'I was probably the most disciplined I've ever been with my diet and just how I approached the entire summer,' said the three-time Olympic medalist. 'I put everything I had into being as physically prepared as possible.'