Pinturault's wife Romane's face was full of shock after the fall. © Screenshot

Wife in tears and diagnosis: The Pinturault drama

The Streif in Kitzbühel showed its claws once again on Friday: Ski superstar Alexis Pinturault had a heavy fall and had to be taken away by helicopter. The diagnosis has now been confirmed.

24 January 2025

From: det

As if the bad fall of Alexis Pinturault in the Super-G in Kitzbühel If that wasn't already terrible enough, the story became even more tragic when we looked into the finish area. Alexis' wife Romane was standing there, watching the race with their one-year-old daughter Olympe in her arms - and thus had to watch her husband's crash live. The TV cameras caught Romane putting her hand over her face when Pinturault fell.

Later, Red Bull Alpine boss Patrick Riml reported in an interview with Tiroler Tageszeitung, that Romane was in tears and had to be consoled. The Frenchwoman is not only Alexis' wife and the mother of their daughter, but also the right-hand woman of the former overall World Cup winner, especially when it comes to media work and communication.

Pinturault fell heavily. © APA/afp / JOE KLAMAR

"It's really tragic for him. He was in good form again. It hurts like hell," said Patrick Riml about Pinturault, who tore the cruciate ligament in his knee in January 2024 and is making his comeback season this year. The Frenchman had to be flown to hospital by helicopter after the Kitzbühel crash. In the late afternoon, the French Ski Federation published an initial diagnosis. The good news: a cruciate ligament tear could be ruled out!

bone bruise and fracture in the knee

Nevertheless, Pinturault sustained injuries. "Alexis suffered a severe bone bruise on the inner shin plateau with an associated fracture and an injury to the inner meniscus," said the French association. How long Pinturault will be out has not been communicated. The reigning combined world champion will now travel to France to undergo further examinations. Pinturault's teammate Florian Loriot, who also fell, suffered a concussion.