BORMIO, Province of Sondrio — French standout Cyprien Sarrazin was in intensive care with a head injury after a crash during training for a World Cup downhill race on Friday on the slope set to be used for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sarrazin, who won the downhill in Bormio last year, was one of two skiers airlifted to a hospital after crashing and the French ski federation said he was conscious but diagnosed with a subdural hematoma — bleeding near the brain.
Shortly after the federation issued the update on his condition, it was decided to operate on Sarrazin on Friday evening “following further examinations, as well as Cyprien’s evolving clinical examination,” according to information provided by the sport’s governing body FIS.
Pietro Zazzi of Italy was also taken to a hospital by helicopter after a crash. The Italian ski federation said he has “a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula of his right leg” and was on his way to Milan, where he will undergo surgery on Saturday.
The incidents called into question the safety of the fearsome Stelvio slope — the course for next winter’s Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“My opinion here is clear, it’s that they don’t know how to prepare a course,” Sarrazin’s teammate Nils Allègre said. “It’s been 40 years that they have been preparing courses, but they don’t know how to do anything, apart from dangerous things.
“Maybe it’s not something everyone agrees with but it’s my opinion and it’s deep-seated. It’s not right, I don’t know what they’re trying to prove, but a year ahead of organizing the Olympics, having a course like this — they don’t deserve to have the Olympic Games here.”
Swiss skier Josua Mettler also crashed on Friday and was on his way back to Switzerland for further tests on a knee injury.
Sarrazin, who was fastest in the first training session the previous day, was on course for another good time in Friday’s second run when he appeared to hit a bump and lost control as he was catapulted into the air, landing on his back and sliding a long way down before being brought to a halt by the safety netting on the side.
The 30-year-old Sarrazin enjoyed his best campaign on the World Cup circuit last season with four victories — three downhill and one super-G — but has yet to win in 2024-25.
Canadian Cameron Alexander led Friday’s training session, ahead of Switzerland’s Stefan Rogentin and Stefan Babinsky of Austria. There is a downhill scheduled for Saturday and a super-G on Sunday.
The men’s Alpine skiing events at the 2026 Olympics will take place in Bormio, while the women’s will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two ski areas are separated by a five-hour car ride.
