Lindsey Vonn’s Winter Olympics campaign got off to a rough and emotional start. The alpine icon arrived at the event just days after a heavy crash that tore her ACL. Still, she chose to push through, throwing caution to the wind. But her boldness met heartbreak as another devastating moment struck, leaving fans on edge.

On February 8, the Tofane course glistened under flawless downhill conditions. Vonn charged out of the gate as the 13th skier on the 1.6‑mile track, with more than twenty racers yet to start. Her run looked powerful at first, but things unraveled in a heartbeat. The upper section was rough, the snow chattering beneath her skis. Just 13 seconds in, disaster hit. She clipped a gate, lost balance on a jump, and went flying backward in a brutal crash that sent gasps through the crowd.

Spectators knew instantly it looked bad. Panic rippled across the stands and onto social media as viewers took to X, furious that the cameras stayed fixed on the fallen star.

One user wrote, “Horrible to see Lindsey Vonn down and shouting in pain. No more tv pictures of this please #WinterOlympics,” earning a quick response from another fan: “Yeah, can we not see this please. It’s so disrespectful to her 😡”

Team USA’s star left fans stunned last week after revealing a devastating update: A ruptured ACL, meniscal damage, and a bruised bone. Yet somehow, she still showed up at the 2026 Games this week, defying every expectation.

After her previous crash, the Olympic legend didn’t back down. Instead, Vonn announced she’d still compete, easing her supporters’ fears with her trademark confidence and determination.

“We have been doing extensive therapy, been consulting with doctors, been in the gym, and today, I went skiing, and considering how my knee feels,” said Vonn during a media session in Cortina d’Ampezzo. “I feel stable, I feel strong, my knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday.”

Her third-fastest time in Saturday’s second downhill training session sparked real hope that she was back to her best. But the optimism faded fast after today’s crash, leaving fans heartbroken and many furious over how the painful moment was broadcast live for the world to see.

Fans express disbelief over Lindsey Vonn’s crash broadcast

Fans weren’t happy with the broadcast, frustrated by how the cameras fixated on the crash. One viewer wrote, “Are the @BBCSport actually having a go at Lindsey Vonn while she’s lying on the mountain and screaming in pain? Disgraceful!”

The three-time Olympic medalist lay still in the snow, her cries echoing through the cold mountain air. Gasps turned into silence as the crowd watched in shock. Medics rushed toward her, surrounding her for nearly 13 agonizing minutes as she remained motionless on the course.

Eighteen minutes later, a helicopter lifted off toward Cortina, carrying the injured skier away. As it rose into the pale sky, the American announcer called out, “Let’s let Lindsey Vonn hear us!” The crowd below responded with a warm wave of applause, breaking the chilling quiet.

For viewers at home, it was an unbearable sight. Fans poured out their emotions online as the scene unfolded:

“Got up to watch Lindsey Vonn’s downhill and oh my god I don’t think I can go back to sleep after this. Hearing her scream out in pain after her fall was so terrible #WinterOlympics”

“Can TNT please stop showing the Lindsey Vonn crash. Looks an awful fall. She is in a lot of pain. Hasn’t moved since her early crash in the downhill. Less than a fortnight ago she was airlifted off the slopes having ruptured her left ACL. No sign of a snowmobile or helicopter”

It wasn’t the ending anyone wished for, but Vonn’s resilience still shines through. Her career has always walked the line between brilliance and bruises. From slicing her thumb on a champagne bottle to pushing through wrecked knees, she’s endured it all. Three decades of racing pain and power—and somehow, she always found her way back to the start gate.

Back in February 2006, she offered fans a masterclass in grit. During downhill training at the Turin Olympics, a brutal crash left her battered—bruised thigh, sore pelvis, aching back. Yet instead of quitting, Vonn reportedly tried to sneak out of the hospital when checkout took too long. Less than two days later, she was back charging down the slopes, racing in all four planned events and finishing as high as seventh in the super-G.

Years later, Sweden brought both triumph and trouble. At the 2013 world championships in Åre, Vonn partly tore her right ACL in training, ending a promising run after two silver medals. Her comeback was short-lived. At the next world championships in Schladming, Austria, she crashed again in the super-G, landing in soft snow and fully tearing the ligament—another surgery, another fight back.

As one distraught fan wrote, “OMG, Lindsey Vonn just crashed 🙏 This is so hard to watch 😢#MilanOlympics.” A tough pill to swallow. But fans cling to hope, waiting for an update.

Reports suggest this crash wasn’t tied to Vonn’s injured left knee. About 13 seconds into her February 8 run, her right arm snagged the fourth gate, spinning her off-balance before she could react.

She fought to steady herself, but her legs were already split, her weight tipping backward, dragging her down. In a blur of speed, she hit the snow, tumbling headfirst through a cloud of white.

“Things just happen so quick in this sport,” said U.S. teammate Bella Wright after the race. “It looked like Lindsey had incredible speed out of that turn, and she hooked her arm and it’s just over just like that.”

For now, fans wait anxiously for an official statement from the skier herself.