Elena Curtoni has to take a break. © Social Media

“Starting the season with a bang – in the truest sense of the word”

A spectacular departure in the downhill run from St. Moritz led to an injury for Elena Curtoni, which forced her to take a break of several weeks. On Tuesday, the Italian spoke out for the first time after the accident.

12 December 2023

From: leo

Elena Curtoni rode at eye level with the eventual winner Mikaela Shiffrin in the upper area, then penetrated the steep middle section at high speed, where she was outflanked and landed hard. The airbag opened - and Curtoni drove to the finish line alone - but it quickly became clear: The 32-year-old was injured. The examinations revealed a fracture of the sacrum and an injury to the thigh muscle. “A start to the season with a bang – in the truest sense of the word,” writes Curtoni on social media.

“If I had any doubts about how I would present myself in the race, I dispelled them: I was brave and rode fast – until I crashed. The situation is not easy to digest, but I always see the glass as half full. “I was lucky in a bad way,” Curtoni ends her post. Because she knows: the fall could have been much worse. Like with Karoline Pichler, Nina Ortlieb, Elisabeth Reisinger or Inni Wembstad.

Must take a break: Elena Curtoni © Pentaphoto

In recent years, Curtoni has established herself as the second best Italian speed lady after Sofia Goggia. In 259 World Cup starts, the younger sister of the retired Irene Curtoni climbed the podium twelve times and was at the top three times. She celebrated her last victory last year - and of all places in St. Moritz. Curtoni's last serious injury was in 2017 when she tore her cruciate ligament.