Lindsey Vonn Recovering From Ninth Operation After Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn is beginning another long rehabilitation after undergoing her ninth operation since a violent crash in the downhill at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The 42-year-old American said the procedure to remove metal hardware and repair her left ACL “went well,” but she faces an estimated six to nine months of recovery.

A Long Road Back

Vonn crashed 13 seconds into the Olympic downhill on February 8, sustaining severe fractures to her left leg and ankle. She had already torn the ACL in the same knee during a World Cup race in Cortina d’Ampezzo nine days earlier, yet chose to start the Olympic event

The impact left her with a complex tibial fracture that required repeated surgery. Her first four operations were performed in Italy after she was airlifted from the mountain; further procedures followed in the United States, including treatment that she said helped prevent amputation of the leg.

What This Surgery Did

Monday’s operation, performed at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, removed the titanium plates and screws that had stabilized her fractures across her previous eight procedures. With the bone finally healed, surgeons could then reconstruct the ACL that had been left untreated for months.

“Basically what we’re doing is removing all of the plates and screws … so we can put in a new ACL,” Vonn said before the operation. She explained that she had waited nine months for the fractures to heal sufficiently before doctors could address the ligament.

Recovery and Return

Vonn said the surgery went well and posted images of the removed hardware, but cautioned that recovery would be demanding. She expects roughly six to nine months of rehabilitation, with early limitations on weight-bearing and an extended period before she can resume serious training.

Still Chasing the Mountains

Despite the scale of the injury, Vonn has refused to close the door on competition. She was named to the U.S. Alpine ski team roster for the 2026-27 World Cup season, although her participation remains uncertain while she recovers.

“I’m praying it will be my last” operation, Vonn said before surgery. Her immediate focus is not a race calendar but rebuilding strength, mobility, and confidence in a leg that has already endured an extraordinary year of trauma.

For a skier whose career has been defined by comebacks, the next milestone will be simply walking and training without pain. Whether that leads to another World Cup start—or a different role in the sport—remains an open question.