Federica Brignone’s celebration of her standout season came to an abrupt halt when she suffered multiple fractures in her left leg during a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships on Thursday—just 10 months before the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Brignone was leading the race at the Lusia ski area in Val di Fassa when she lost control in her second run, crashing through a gate and tumbling into the next one. She was airlifted to a hospital in Trento for treatment.
Doctors diagnosed her with multiple fractures in her tibial plateau and fibula. She is set to be transferred to a hospital in Milan for further X-rays and to determine the next steps for surgery.
The 34-year-old Italian skier had an impressive season, winning the giant slalom at the world championships in February and securing 10 World Cup victories across three disciplines—five in giant slalom, three in super-G, and two in downhill.
One of her World Cup wins was a super-G victory on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina, which will host women’s skiing events at the Milan-Cortina Olympics next February—marking her first win at that venue.
Brignone was expected to be one of the key athletes representing Italy at the Olympics. However, her current injury poses a significant challenge to her recovery timeline. It remains uncertain when or if she will be able to return to competition. This season, she also made history as the oldest woman to win a World Cup race.