Aksel Lund Svindal is done for the season after tearing his right ACL in a crash in the most famous annual race, a downhill in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Saturday.
Svindal, who won a medal of every color at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, was one of three men to crash hard in the delayed, shortened race that was called off after 30 skiers due to safety concerns.
The Norwegian’s absence the rest of the season opens the door for Austrian Marcel Hirscher to retake the World Cup overall lead and be favored to win his fifth straight World Cup overall crown.
That would tie retired Luxembourg star Marc Girardelli for the most career men’s World Cup overall titles.
Svindal, 33, missed most of the 2014-15 season after tearing an Achilles playing soccer in October 2014. He won seven of the first nine World Cup speed races this season.
