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Only hours after the Olympic nightmare, Lindsey Vonn was already on the operating table — what doctors saw changed everything

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Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery to “stabilize” her leg on Sunday, just a few hours after she crashed at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The 41-year-old was airlifted to Ca Foncello hospital in Trevizo, Italy from the mountain in Cortina on Sunday, Feb. 8.

“In the afternoon, she underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilise the fracture sustained in her left leg,” the hospital said in a statement, Reuters reported. The leg is the same one in which Vonn tore her ACL a week prior to competition.

U.S. Ski & Snowboarding said earlier this afternoon, in a statement shared with PEOPLE, that Vonn was “stable.”

“Lindsey sustained an injury, but is in stable condition and in good hands with a team of American and Italian physicians,” the organization said.

A giant screen shows US' Lindsey Vonn receiving assistance after a crash in the women's downhill event during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo on February 8, 2026.

Lindsey Vonn crashes on Feb. 8, 2026.Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty 

Vonn crashed just 13 seconds into her run after her right ski pole got caught in a course marker. She remained down on the ice for roughly 15 minutes while medical staff attended to her. and could be heard saying, “Oh my god” in pain.

Her teammate Breezy Johnson won gold in the women’s downhill skiing event on Sunday, and afterwards, Johnson told reporters, including PEOPLE, that Vonn was still cheering her on after the injury.

“Her coach said she was cheering for me in the helicopter, so I hope for the best for her,” Johnson, 30, said after winning gold. “I hope that it’s not too bad. My heart aches for her. It’s such a brutal sport sometimes.”

Vonn’s sister spoke out on NBC’s broadcast following the crash as well, saying the family is “hoping for the best” while waiting for further updates. “That definitely was the last thing we wanted to see. It happened quick. So when that happens you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay,” Kildow said.

“It was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, that is not a good sign.”

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

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