Italy, the host of the Olympics, faces another setback as top female skier Marta Bassino sustains a lateral fracture of the tibial plateau in her left leg during pre-season training. The accident occurred on a flat section of a course in Val Senales, leading to the need for surgery. As a result, Bassino will miss the upcoming World Cup race in Soelden, Austria, and potentially the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
This injury adds to Italy’s woes as overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone is also sidelined due to multiple leg fractures and a torn ACL suffered during a giant slalom crash earlier this year. Bassino, who claimed gold in super-G at the 2023 world championships and has secured seven World Cup victories, including parallel gold at the 2021 worlds, faces an uncertain return to competitive skiing.
