“It’s my favourite course – it’s intense and free.” That’s what Sofia Goggia said upon arriving at the Milano Cortina last week while aiming for the Super G gold. However, destiny unfortunately had it planned differently. The 33-year-old was aiming for her second gold from the 2026 Winter Olympics. But the momentum that had pushed her to the top has seemingly pushed her out of the game. And guess what, it’s not just her. 2026 downhill gold medalist, Breezy Johnson, too, had to contend with the same dangerous slope.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Mitchell Goldich shared an X update. It revealed, “The visuals at the women’s Super-G are crazy. You can see how little visibility there is on the mountain today, and there have been a ton of crashes/DNFs (including USA’s Breezy Johnson and Mary Bocock).”

Through the upper section, Goggia carried speed others had held back. She carved tight lines and kept on gaining time at every checkpoint. At the halfway mark, she was six-tenths of a second ahead. And just when the highest podium pedestal appeared too close, she lost her line.

On the other hand, Johnson slid into the protective fencing placed along the side of the slope. It all happened after she clipped one of the poles that mark the racing course. And at that speed, even a slight hit can throw a skier off balance. However, reports confirmed that despite slamming into the safety barriers, she was unharmed and stood up without any medical assistance.

One sports enthusiast pointed out, “Sofia Goggia who took all the risks but who crashes out at the halfway point when she was 6 tenths of a second ahead!”

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Goggia was undoubtedly one of the biggest medal prospects. In 2018, she secured a gold medal in the downhill event. Following that, in 2022, she secured a silver. And adding yet another feather to her hat, she won the bronze in downhill at the Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina d’Ampezzo. However, she was aiming for more and was confident enough that she has all the potential to win the gold in the Super G. 

Now, as it appears, crashes, withdrawals, and setbacks have indeed been headlining this Winter Olympics. Out of 24 competitors, 10 ended up under the DNF list, which implies nearly half the field failed to complete the race, usually due to crashes, missing a gate, going off line, or getting disqualified. 

Just days back, America’s legendary skier, Lindsey Vonn, was derailed from the 2026 games. Although she tried to give it her all, she failed in a brutal crash. Now, after undergoing back-to-back surgeries, Vonn has shared fresh updates on health with her friend from the rival team, Sofia Goggia.

Sofia Goggia shares emotional update after Lindsey Vonn’s surgery recovery

Vonn decided to participate in the downhill glide with a 100% ACL, going against all the warnings. After the Crans-Montana crash, everyone was rooting for her to have the storybook ending. But she faced another crash, which resulted in her sustaining a complex tibial fracture. Notably, at the Ca’Foncello Hospital in Treviso, the surgery was conducted immediately. 

After a successful surgery, Vonn was in a condition to share a health update with her well-wishers. 

In an Instagram post, Vonn shared, “In downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches.” She further added, “I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”

Goggia later shared how she had a conversation with Vonn post her surgery in text. Goggia then added, “I’m really sorry for her. She didn’t deserve this. I’m really sorry for her. I feel the suffering that she has inside of herself.”

Now, as both Vonn and Goggia struggle, all we can do is pray for them to get well soon.