Everything We Know So Far About Lindsey Vonn’s Winter Olympics Crash

It was supposed to be the comeback of a lifetime. Instead, it became a heart-stopping moment that no one watching will soon forget.

For days, there have been whispers about whether Lindsey Vonn was pushing her luck. On Sunday, February 8, 2026, those whispers turned into stunned silence on the slopes of Cortina, Italy, during the Alpine skiing event at Olimpia delle Tofane for the Winter Olympic Games.

Lindsey Vonn. | Source: Getty Images

At first, everything looked routine. Lindsey launched from the gate in the women's downhill at the Winter Olympics event, focused and fast, chasing a moment many thought impossible.

Then, just 13 seconds in, something went terribly wrong, and it happened right before everyone in the stands.

Lindsey Vonn crashes during the Women's Downhill during Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center in Italy on February 8. | Source: Getty Images

As she passed a race gate, the skier got twisted up, and her right arm caught on the gate, clipping it, violently spinning her off balance. She crashed into the snow, flipping and spinning in the air several times before finally landing, as People reported.

Spectators watched in disbelief as Lindsey flipped and tumbled, bouncing down the slope before finally landing hard on her back. Her screams echoed across the course as medical crews rushed toward her.

Lindsey Vonn of Team United States lands on her back during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center on February 8 in Italy. | Source: Getty Images

Minutes passed, and Lindsey didn't get up. Cameras captured her yelling, "Oh my God," as she lay on the snow while medics worked frantically around her, according to People.

In the stands, even celebrities struggled to look on. Spectators, including rapper Snoop Dogg, could be seen with their heads down as Lindsey remained motionless on the slope.

After more than 15 minutes of treatment, Lindsey was placed on a stability board. She was then airlifted by helicopter off the mountain and rushed to a hospital.

Fans reacts after watching Lindsey Vonn crashing out during the Women's Alpine Downhill Skiing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy on February 8. | Source: Getty Images

Lindsey was first taken to a clinic in Cortina before being transferred to a larger hospital in Treviso. Doctors later confirmed she underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilize a fracture in her left leg, per AP News.

The U.S. Ski Team said Lindsey was in stable condition and receiving care from a multidisciplinary team. Still, the officials' tone made one thing clear: this was serious.

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

Lindsey Vonn continues to fall during the Women's Downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Center on February 8 in Italy. | Source: Getty Images

Lindsey was not the only skier to crash during the event. Austria's Nina Ortlieb fell but was able to ski off the course.

Andorra's Cande Moreno crashed almost immediately after taking off and was airlifted away. Still, it was Lindsey's fall that cast a shadow over the race.

Her U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson moved into first place. But for many watching, the competition had already faded into the background.

Nina Ortlieb of Team Austria crashes out during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 8 in Italy. | Source: Getty Images

Only later did the full weight of Lindsey's decision become clear.

She had chosen to race despite tearing her left ACL on January 30, 2026, just days earlier. In an Instagram post shared on January 30, 2026, she announced that her Olympic dream wasn't over yet despite tearing her ACL.

She began the announcement by saying, "I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams."

"This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics… but if there's one thing I know how to do, it's a comeback," she further wrote.

In a press conference on February 3, 2026, before the Olympics, Lindsey acknowledged she knew the injury was serious. "I had a feeling it was bad, but I held out hope until I saw the MRI in front of me," she said.

Yet she refused to abandon her plan. "I have not cried, I have not deviated from my plan."

Lindsey Vonn after she crashed out during the Women's Alpine Downhill Skiing at at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy on February 8. | Source: Getty Images

Despite the injury, Lindsey vowed to compete. She even framed the gamble with a smile.

At the February 3, 2026, conference, she said, "I think this would be the best comeback I've done so far," she said. "The most dramatic, that's for sure."

But the decision to race wasn't just about defiance; it was about place.

Concerned fans watch replays of Lindsay Vonn's crash during the Women's downhill Alpine skiing event at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. | Source: Getty Images

Cortina wasn't just another Olympic stop. It was where Lindsey earned her first World Cup podium in 2004 and later broke the women's World Cup record.

In a January 23, 2026, interview with People, she stated, "I didn't finish my career the way I wanted to. I was limping away when I wanted to finish strong."

"Honestly, I don't know if I would have done this if it wasn't at Cortina," she further admitted. "It's where I got my first podium [placing third at the 2004 World Cup]. I also broke the women's World Cup record there." It was also the rare moment when both of her parents were present to witness her breakthrough.

At 41, Lindsey is making history as the oldest woman ever to compete in Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics, a milestone highlighted in a separate People interview.

Lindsey Vonn photographs with her medals, from a post dated February 1, 2019. | Source: Instagram/lindseyvonn

For Lindsey's family, the recent crash during the Olympic Games was agonizing to witness. Her sister, Karin Kildow, said they were "hoping for the best" as the scene unfolded, according to NBC New York.

"That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see," Kildow said. "It was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, that is not a good sign."

Lindsay Vonn is airlifted off the mountain after crashing during the Women's downhill Alpine skiing event at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. | Source: Getty Images

When Lindsey announced her retirement in 2019, she spoke candidly about the toll ski racing had taken on her body in an emotional Instagram post. "It's been an emotional 2 weeks making the hardest decision of my life, but I have accepted that I cannot continue ski racing," she wrote.

She also described years of surgeries, hidden pain, and a body she said was "broken beyond repair." "My body is broken beyond repair, and it isn't letting me have the final season I dreamed of. My body is screaming at me to STOP, and it's time for me to listen," she added.

Still, she refused to let injuries define her legacy. She pointed instead to 82 World Cup wins, 20 titles, three Olympic medals, and seven world championship medals.

Now, after Sunday's crash, that legacy feels heavier than ever. Was this fearless determination, or a risk that finally went too far? Lindsey remains hospitalized as she begins what doctors say will be a long recovery.

And once again, the sport's most fearless star has left the world holding its breath.