Winter Olympics 2026: Austria's Jakob Mandlbauer 'not so bad' after intense four-man bobsleigh crash causes lengthy delay - 'He'll be fine'

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Jakob Mandlbauer underwent lengthy treatment and was removed from the track on a stretcher after his team tipped over during their second heat on Saturday. Mandlbauer's team-mates each managed to leave the sled after the run, as they finished just shy of the line, while the pilot stayed down. The incident caused a delay of around 20 minutes as Mandlbauer and the ice were tended to.

Watch: 'UTTER disaster for the French' as bobsleigh run goes all wrong

Video credit: TNT Sports

Austrian pilot Jakob Mandlbauer has been taken to hospital but is not thought to have suffered an injury during his team's crash in their second heat on Saturday, a member of his team has said.

There was a delay of around 20 minutes during the second heats on Saturday after the Austrian sled flipped on its side at the K2 corner.

The four-man sled continued on its side for the remainder of the course, and made regular contact with the wall on the side of the drivers' heads, as they attempted to duck their helmets.

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They slid on the side for around 30 seconds before finishing just metres in front of the finish line, and by not crossing, their time was not recorded.

Daniel Bertschler, Sebastian Mitterer and Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi were all able to exit the sled and stand beside the course at the end of the run, while pilot Mandlbauer underwent lengthy treatment.

Staff and volunteers, meanwhile, tended to the ice, which had been heavily gauged as a result, and many gathered beside where Mandlbauer was being treated.

Austria's Daiyehan Nichols-Bardi (C), Austria's Daniel Bertschler (L) and Austria's Sebastian Mitterer (R) react as medics bring off Austria's Jakob Mandlbauer

Image credit: Getty Images

Mandlbauer was eventually removed on a stretcher.

Christoph Iglhauser, the Austrian team press attache, told The Athletic: "Jakob is on his way to hospital. He’s not so bad. It’s just a check. Everyone else is fine. No injury, only a check. He’ll be fine."

Olympics.com, meanwhile, said he would undergo further examination in hospital after suffering neck pain.

Ben Simons said on TNT Sports' commentary after the incident: "We've got to hope he's alright, nobody likes to see this. They'll be getting checked out by the medical staff, they'll all have a concussion test.

"All the athletes wear a Kevlar woven burns vest underneath those Lycra suits, because what you get is ice burns travelling at that speed. When your shoulder gets on the ice, it does burn skin."

TNT Sports commentator Martin Haven added: "Adding insult to injury, not only have they crashed, but they are shown as disqualified for not completing the run. That will be a DNF for the Austrians.

"Crashes happen. Everybody knows crashes happen, you know crashes happen. You know you don't need to have another crash to know how uncomfortable they are. But it is part of racing on the edge, that's what they do."

TNT Sports' coverage showed athletes and coaches from different teams coming together and watching from a distance as nearby fans began to disperse from beside the track where Mandlbauer was being treated.

"There's a lot of concerned, anxious faces looking on there," Simons said. "Everybody wants to see all the athletes out of the track and safe."

Germany finished in the top three podium positions after the second heat, with Team GB slipping down to seventh, but only 0.23s off the bronze medal spot.

There were also crashes for France and Trinidad and Tobago.

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