Winter Olympic Games 2026: Lindsey Vonn undergoes surgery on leg fracture, 'in stable condition' after crash in women's downhill at Milano Cortina

American superstar Lindsey Vonn suffered a serious crash in the women's downhill at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games on Sunday. Vonn was aiming to claim a medal despite rupturing the ACL in her left knee a little over a week ago but lost control after clipping a gate early in her run. She was eventually airlifted to safety, and Team USA said she is in "stable condition".

Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery on a left leg fracture and is in "stable condition" after crashing in Sunday's women's downhill event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Vonn was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash on Sunday morning, after her left arm got caught inside one of the gates. The US Ski and Snowboard Team said that she "sustained an injury but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians".

As reported by Reuters and the BBC, a statement from the Ca’ Foncello Hospital, which is located in the northern city of Treviso, said Vonn "underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilise the fracture sustained in her left leg."

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Vonn was bidding to complete an historic comeback from a torn ACL in her left knee nine days ago. But the 41-year-old crashed out after 13 seconds.

Anouk Patty, chief of sport for US Ski and Snowboard, said: "She’ll be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process.

"This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching [that] these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast."

Cortina d’Ampezzo is a venue that has brought Vonn so much success during her career but she was unable to produce one final moment of magic.

Reacting to the incident, TNT Sports commentators Ed Drake and Charlie Guest praised Vonn's bravery.

Watch: Vonn airlifted away in helicopter after big downhill crash

Video credit: TNT Sports

"That’s the Olympic dream done," Drake said. "Lindsey Vonn came back from an ACL on Friday and that looked very uncomfortable. She's not doing the comeback, comeback, comeback, is she?

"It was brave, it was incredibly brave. The whole comeback has been about today. It was 2,830 days from her last World Cup victory, from when she retired initially to her next downhill victory.

"And the whole decision about coming back was for today, it was for midday local time here in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

"And that’s why she made that incredibly difficult decision and incredibly brave decision to race while injured."

Guest added: "We have to remember this was her choice. She had all the information, she had the medical team with her to make those choices. And she also has won [podiumed] here 12 times before – six super-Gs and six downhills.

"This is not what anybody wanted to see."

Despite coming into the Games with an ACL injury, Vonn was widely tipped to challenge for a podium finish after a pair of strong training runs on Saturday.

Vonn battled a littany of injuries during her career and was forced to retire in 2019. However, after undergoing partial right knee replacement, she decided to return to the sport in 2024.

The target was to add to her three Olympic medals and the lone gold she captured in 2010.

She was heavily fancied after some strong World Cup form in the lead-up to the 2026 Milano Cortina Games but did not get the farewell that would have been befitting of such an illustrious career.

"This has not been the Hollywood ending," Drake continued. "When she went down on Friday, we were in the comms box then, and we were thinking that it wasn’t possible and these are really disturbing scenes.

Vonn 'risked too much' as experts react to American star's 'horrible' downhill crash

Video credit: TNT Sports

"We are obviously wishing her very well. She has done some amazing things, she is bringing this sport to the masses. This is not the way this was supposed to go down."

Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), extended her support to Vonn later on Sunday.

"Dear Lindsey, we're all thinking of you," Coventry said. "You are an incredible inspiration, and will always be an Olympic champion."

Maze: ‘She risked too much’

Also reacting to Vonn's crash was 2014 downhill and giant slalom Olympic champion Tina Maze, who suggested the American "risked too much" in coming back so soon after such a serious injury.

"I mean, we all know the difficulties that Lindsey was going through the last days and to come to the race, I think she just levelled up too much and risked too much, and that's why this kind of crash can happen," Maze said.

"Of course, if you're not healthy, then the consequences are even worse. But we all know Lindsey, it's her, it's her decision that she wanted to do this no matter what, and that's what she's doing.

"So it's really tough for everyone here to see this, and especially for her family and her team-mates and everyone working with her. It's terrible."

Maze’s fellow former giant slalom gold medallist Viktoria Rebensburg was in agreement, adding: "We knew that today it's either way a crash or like risking everything or winning a medal for her. But yeah, just let's cross our fingers that it's not too bad for her in the end."

Eurosport Sweden Alpine skiing expert and 2018 Olympic slalom gold medallist Andre Myhrer admitted he could "understand" Vonn’s determination to compete but questioned how wise that decision was.

"You understand her in her situation," Myhrer said. "She has done everything she can to get to this point; the Olympics have been her big goal.

"Of course she’s doing everything she can to be on that start line. The question is whether it’s a wise decision – which, really, it absolutely isn’t – but I do understand her decision to stand there and compete.

"But this wasn’t very fun to witness. I feel for her, and I really hope it’s not as serious as it looks."

Talking about the race itself and the battle for medals, Maze added that the crash could have affected the performance of Sofia Goggia, who was the skier next to the start gate after Vonn. After the delay, the Italian took the bronze, but she was a distant 0.59 seconds adrift of champion Breezy Johnson.

"It was a different race after the crash," Maze continued. "I think after Lindsey crashed, you get really in shock on the start, especially if it's a friend of yours. And it was tough for everyone here watching this - and it was for Sofia, it was maybe even harder to race.

"Plus, today it's sunny, and the surface is getting warmer, and that's why it's not so fast as for the others, and it can be a game-changer a little bit. So two really important key points. It was the crash, then the surface was warming up.

"And I think that's why Sofia maybe - of course, she made some mistakes too - could do it better."

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