Norway's two-time Olympic medallist and 2020 overall World Cup winner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will miss the Alpine Ski World Cup season due to an ongoing shoulder issue, the Norwegian Ski Federation announced Wednesday.
The 32-year-old speed specialist suffered a horrific fall in January, dislocating his shoulder during a crash in a World Cup downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland.
Since then, he has undergone two surgeries and will need another one after developing a shoulder infection in July. "Unfortunately, this means I won't be competing this season, but I'm fully committed to my rehabilitation and working towards a strong comeback.
Thank you all for your support during this time," Kilde said in a statement. His fiancee, American Mikaela Shiffrin, 29, thanked fans for their support following the news, as she prepares for the season opener in Soelden, Austria, this weekend. "We are gonna take things as they come," she told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Thursday. WATCH | Kilde dislocates shoulder in January 2024 crash in Switzerland: Norway's Kilde airlifted off Wengen World Cup downhill course after hard crash