Serious shock: Florian Schieder fears for his career

Florian Schieder actually wanted to start again this season after tearing his cruciate ligament in February. But nothing comes of the comeback - on the contrary: now the Castelrotto resident even has to worry about the continuation of his career. The 25-year-old will miss the entire 2021/22 Olympic season with cartilage damage in his left knee. What will happen next is anyone's guess at this point.

A quick look back: On February 14, 2021, Florian Schieder tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee in a fall during the World Cup downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo. There was also meniscus and cartilage damage. The next day, Schieder, who made people sit up and take notice with 5th and 7th place in the World Cup training rides, was operated on by knee specialist Thomas Egger at the Brixsana Hospital in Brixen. Everything was going smoothly, but then... The rehabilitation went largely without problems, Schieder completed most of it with his employer - the Carabinieri sports group - in Langental in Val Gardena. The next big step was at the end of August: the first days of skiing on the Stelvio Pass were on the agenda. Schieder: “Everything went smoothly there. But of course: I was on tourist skis and just skied a bit freely to get the rust out of my legs.” The second glacier training in Zermatt also went according to plan, Schieder skied in the giant slalom gates for the first time and continuously increased the load . “I now have to accept the situation as it is. And then move forward step by step.” Florian Schieder Then came the “Azzurri”’s multi-week speed training in Saas-Fee, where the 14th in the 2021 Kitzbühel downhill run (with number 50) strapped on the long bars for the first time. Schieder: “I went along on the first day, used my strength there and was not that far behind the others in terms of time. But then: On the second day I could hardly stand up. Of course, I still went up the mountain and tried to drive, but it didn't work anymore. The pain was too great and the knee was also very swollen.” Surgery next week It immediately became clear that it was a problem with the cartilage. At first they tried to get the pain under control with infiltrations - in vain. After several examinations - most recently by knee specialist Christian Fink in Innsbruck - the devastating diagnosis came: For Florian Schieder, the season was over before it even started. Next Tuesday, October 19th, Fink will operate on the cartilage in his left knee at the Hochrum Clinic in Innsbruck. The cruciate ligament, which was torn in February, will also be readjusted.

Schieder on his first snow days in August.

What that means? “The coming season will be flat. I won't be able to ski for 8 to 12 months. That's what Doctor Fink told me. And then you have to see whether the cartilage regenerates to the point where professional ski racing is still possible. Fink doesn’t want to go too far out of the window with a forecast.” Svindal's fate is not a glimmer of hope Florian Schieder does not want to see the fact that Aksel Lund Svindal has come back from a similarly serious cartilage injury as a glimmer of hope: “With his experience, Aksel needed much less training than I need. My body needs more repetitions, more sessions, and especially a lot more training on snow. I now have to accept the situation as it is. And then move forward step by step.”

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Serious shock: Florian Schieder fears for his career

As if speed talent Alexander Prast's long ordeal wasn't enough! Florian Schieder also has to worry about the continuation of his career as a ski racer.

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