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 incident occurred on a flat stretch of a course in Val Senales, Italy, as she prepared for the upcoming World Cup giant slalom event in Soelden, Austria. Bassino now requires surgery, forcing her to miss the initial races of the World Cup season and potentially jeopardizing her participation in the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
This injury adds to Italy’s woes as overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone remains sidelined due to severe injuries sustained earlier. Brignone’s recovery timeline remains uncertain after breaking multiple bones in her left leg and tearing her anterior cruciate ligament during a giant slalom accident at the Italian championships in April.
Despite these setbacks, Bassino boasts an impressive record, with notable achievements including a gold medal in super-G at the 2023 world championships and seven World Cup victories, comprising six in giant slalom and one in downhill. She also secured a parallel gold at the 2021 worlds in Cortina, a venue that will feature women’s skiing events during the upcoming Olympics.
