According to her coach Mauro Pini, Vlhova tore a cruciate ligament and a torn medial ligament in her right knee, meaning the 30-year-old’s season ended prematurely. After three victories this season in the slalom, Vlhova was considered Mikaela Shiffrin’s toughest competitor, and in the overall World Cup she was also in second place behind Shiffrin (1,109) with 802 points.
“She’s certainly not in a good moment, she’s still on medication. But she’s already looking ahead. She knows full well that she’s not the first and won’t be the last with such an injury,” said Pini. “The whole team is already focused on the future.”
The fact that so many top athletes have been injured recently gives him pause, said the Swiss coach. The busy program is certainly an issue for men. “For the women, I don’t think that’s the main problem, but rather the slope preparations, speeds and course setting.”
Jasna wasn’t prepared too icy, said Pini. “We’ve had two extremes in the last two weeks: Kranjska Gora with very soft snow, rain and salt, here a bit of the other extreme: very hard. But that’s the World Cup.”
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Historic ÖSV flop in the giant slalom in Jasna: No ÖSV runner in the classification
