Italian skier Federica Brignone, the reigning World Cup overall champion and 35-year-old double gold medalist at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, has ended her 2025-26 season prematurely to prioritize rehabilitation from a severe leg injury. She will skip the remaining races in Val di Fassa (March 6-8), Åre (March 14-15), and Lillehammer finals (March 21-25), planning a return for 2026-27.
Federica Brignone's decision follows a grueling return from a major injury sustained on April 3, 2025, during the Italian National Championships in Val di Fassa. Leading the first run of the giant slalom, she crashed in the second, suffering multiple fractures in her left leg—including a comminuted tibial plateau fracture and a torn ACL—plus injuries requiring 42 stitches. Airlifted to Trento and treated at Milan's La Madonnina clinic, she underwent emergency surgery with a metal plate and screws inserted; ACL repair was deferred due to bone damage. Unable to walk for three months, she endured two surgeries overall and a slow rehab marked by preseason pain.
Brignone skipped early-season World Cup races, returning in late January 2026—just weeks before the home Milan-Cortina Olympics, where she served as Italy's flag bearer. On February 15, she claimed gold in super-G and giant slalom, becoming the oldest Alpine skier to win Olympic gold at 35 years and 7 months, surpassing Aksel Lund Svindal's record by 5.5 months and the prior mark for women.
Strain showed in her most recent outing: over the February 28 weekend in Soldeu, Andorra, she placed 15th and 8th in consecutive super-G races. Last week, she hinted at possible retirement if her leg did not improve. "I’ve demanded a lot from my body these past months," Brignone said. "I wanted to keep racing, but now I feel the effects. With the season nearly over, it makes sense to pause and continue the rehabilitation process properly. From the day I got injured, I dedicated everything to the Olympics... now my body is paying the price."
Her story mirrors Lindsey Vonn's recovery from a similar tibial fracture. At 36 next season, Brignone aims to return stronger.
