BORMIO, Italy (AP) — A men’s World Cup super-G got off to an inauspicious start on Sunday as the very first skier crashed dramatically on the slope set to be used for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Gino Caviezel became the third skier airlifted to hospital off the Stelvio slope this weekend after the Swiss skier crashed around 45 seconds into his run.
The Swiss ski federation said Caviezel was flown straight back to Switzerland by Swiss Air Rescue and that “initial examinations show a shoulder dislocation, which has been put back in place, as well as a complex knee injury, which is still being investigated further.”
The 32-year-old Caviezel hit a gate and tumbled down the slope but was conscious as he came to a halt, appearing to point several times to his knee as first aiders rushed to help him.
Sunday’s race, which was won by Fredrik Moeller, was interrupted for just under 20 minutes while Caviezel received treatment before being airlifted to hospital.
French standout Cyprien Sarrazin and Italian Pietro Zazzi were taken off the slope by helicopter after crashing in separate incidents in downhill training on Friday.
Sarrazin underwent surgery to drain a bleed near the brain while Zazzi had an operation on his leg.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Daniella Matar, The Associated Press
