Alpine skiing-Season over for Austrian speed specialist Egger

Jan 10 : ‌Austria's Magdalena Egger will miss the Milano Cortina Olympics after suffering a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in a World Cup downhill crash on Saturday, Ski Austria said.

The 24-year-old fell and careered into the side netting during the fourth downhill ‌of the season in the Austrian ‌resort of Zauchensee.

Egger, the second highest-ranked Austrian in the downhill standings, was lifted off the mountain by helicopter and taken to hospital.

Ski Austria said MRI scans had shown a rupture of the ligament, a tear of ‍the collateral ligament and contusion of the lateral meniscus in her right knee. She was transferred to Innsbruck for surgery.

Egger had celebrated a first World Cup podium in St ​Moritz last month ‌when she finished second in the opening downhill of the season.

Her injury is another blow to ​Austria's women's team after 2022 Olympic slalom silver medallist Katharina ⁠Liensberger was ruled out ‌of the Games with a serious knee injury suffered ​in training this month.

"That really hurts because Magdalena has had good results and performed well, ‍also with regard to what is coming in February," women's ⁠head coach Roland Assinger told Austrian media.

The Olympic women's downhill ​in Cortina will ‌be held on February 8.