Swiss skiing superstar Lara Gut-Behrami will miss the rest of the 2025/26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during a training crash last Thursday at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
The 34-year-old overall World Cup champion was preparing for the upcoming North American speed races when the accident occurred on the U.S. Ski Team’s training slope. Gut-Behrami lost control at high speed, crashed heavily, and was airlifted from the mountain for immediate medical evaluation. Subsequent examinations in Switzerland confirmed the full ACL rupture along with additional minor damage that will require surgical reconstruction.
In an emotional statement released through her team and the Swiss-Ski federation, Gut-Behrami wrote:
“This is obviously a huge blow, especially after the momentum we built last season. But injuries are part of our sport, and I’ve been through difficult moments before. I will come back stronger. Thank you all for the overwhelming support – it means the world to me right now.”
Gut-Behrami had started the current season in strong form, winning the season-opening giant slalom in Sölden and finishing on the podium in both Levi slaloms. She sat second in the overall standings behind American Mikaela Shiffrin at the time of the injury.
The reigning overall and super-G World Cup champion (2023/24 and 2024/25), Gut-Behrami also claimed Olympic gold in super-G and bronze in giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Games. She now faces a rehabilitation timeline of approximately 9–12 months, effectively ruling her out of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games unless her recovery significantly exceeds typical ACL timelines.
Swiss-Ski head coach Beat Tschuor expressed the team’s devastation: “Lara is not only our leader but one of the greatest talents our sport has ever seen. This is a massive loss for the entire alpine skiing community, but we have full confidence in her resilience and work ethic.”
Fans and fellow athletes flooded social media with messages of support under the hashtag #StayStrongLara, including heartfelt notes from Mikaela Shiffrin, Federica Brignone, and Marco Odermatt.
Everyone in the alpine skiing world now wishes Lara Gut-Behrami a smooth surgery and a strong, speedy recovery. The tour will feel very different without her trademark red suit flashing down the hill this winter.
Get well soon, Lara ❤️💪
