French alpine ski racer Cyprien Sarrazin is in intensive care with a head injury following a crash during training for a World Cup downhill race on the Stelvio slope, which will be used for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 30-year-old, a standout on the World Cup circuit with four career victories, was airlifted to a hospital after crashing on Friday. According to the French Ski Federation, Sarrazin is conscious but has been diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, a condition involving bleeding near the brain. "He will remain hospitalized in Italy under neurological intensive care," the federation stated.
Sarrazin was not the only skier involved in a crash during the session. Italian skier Pietro Zazzi was also taken to a hospital after a separate incident. The crashes have raised serious concerns about the safety of the Stelvio course, which will host the men’s alpine skiing events at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Sarrazin’s teammate, Nils Allègre, voiced his frustration with the course preparation, criticizing the handling of the course’s safety. "My opinion here is clear, it’s that they don’t know how to prepare a course," Allègre said. "They have been preparing courses for 40 years, but they don’t know how to do anything, apart from dangerous things. Maybe it’s not something everyone agrees with, but it’s my opinion and it’s deep-seated. It’s not right, I don’t know what they’re trying to prove, but a year ahead of organizing the Olympics, having a course like this – they don’t deserve to have the Olympic Games here."
Sarrazin had been in strong form leading up to the crash, having won the downhill event in Bormio last year and setting the fastest time in the first training session on Thursday. During Friday's second session, Sarrazin appeared to hit a bump, causing him to lose control and launch into the air before crashing onto his back and sliding down the course until he was stopped by safety netting.
Sarrazin, known for his prowess in downhill and super-G races, had a career-best season last year, but has yet to claim a victory in the 2024-25 season.
The men’s alpine skiing events at the 2026 Olympics will take place in Bormio, while the women’s events will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, located a five-hour drive away. The crashes have raised questions about the readiness of the Stelvio course for the upcoming Games and the safety measures in place for athletes.
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