Marcel Hirscher's comeback is over. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Hirscher's comeback ends with serious injury

Bad news for Marcel Hirscher! He was seriously injured during training. The Austrian ski star's return to the World Cup was therefore short-lived.

03 December 2024

From: apa/sn

A cruciate ligament tear in his left knee has brought Marcel Hirscher's comeback to an abrupt end. The eight-time overall Ski World Cup winner sustained the serious knee injury on Monday during training on the Reiteralm, as his ski brand Van Deer announced on Tuesday morning.

"Cruciate ligament gone, project over!" Hirscher explained in a press release after the successful operation. The 35-year-old from Salzburg will probably miss more than just the World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

"Unfortunately, as is the case with skiing: it's part of the game. Perhaps I've finally finished my journey: for the first time, I'm experiencing the annoying issue of cruciate ligaments first hand, something that so many have had to experience," explained Hirscher. "What remains is: these eight months were intense and I had a lot of fun. I would like to thank everyone who made this incredible journey possible and accompanied me on it."

8 World Cup points as a Dutchman

Hirscher, who has been competing as a Dutchman since this season, returned to the World Cup stage five years after retiring with a 23rd place in the giant slalom in Sölden. Things have not gone as planned in the slalom so far; in Levi he clearly missed the second run, finishing 46th, and in Gurgl he was eliminated with serious setup problems.

Marcel Hirscher's slalom comeback (here the failure in Gurgl) was unsuccessful. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Instead of tinkering with materials, Hirscher will now be undergoing physiotherapy. According to the doctors, the operation went according to plan. "The anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee was torn and the outer capsule apparatus was slightly affected, otherwise no injuries were found. These are the best possible conditions for a good healing process under the given circumstances," said the doctors at the Ragnitz private clinic.

Hirscher spoke of a "hard cut after eight months of a project close to his heart." "It will certainly be hard to watch the races." Hirscher said he was able to contribute a little to the future success of the Van Deer athletes - "and that was also part of my mission."