BORMIO, Italy, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Norway's Fredrik Moeller and France's Nils Alphand were injured on Wednesday during the first official men's downhill training session in alpine skiing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games, with both athletes reported in stable condition but their Olympic participation uncertain.
Alphand and Moeller started 18th and 32nd respectively in the session. The French skier was able to complete his training run and passed through the mixed zone walking on his own, with an ice pack strapped to one wrist.
Moeller injured his left shoulder in a crash but was able to sit up on the slope. After an on-site medical assessment, he was evacuated by helicopter.
Later in the day, Norwegian team doctor Trond Floberghagen said in a statement released via FIS: "Fredrik sustained a dislocated left shoulder. The treatment went well, and the medical team will now begin further rehabilitation."
Floberghagen added that Moeller suffered no other injuries in the crash. "It is too early to say anything more about Fredrik's further participation in the Olympic Games."
Moeller, 25, and Alphand, 29, are both competing in their first Winter Olympics. Moeller won a men's Super-G World Cup race in Bormio in 2024.
The men's alpine skiing competitions at Milan-Cortina 2026 are being held in the Alpine town of Bormio. The downhill, scheduled for Saturday, is the fastest and longest discipline in alpine skiing, featuring the largest vertical drop and speeds exceeding 140 kilometers per hour in men's race.
Wednesday's training used the same course as the race. The route starts at an altitude of 2,250 meters, stretches 3,250 meters in length and has a vertical drop of 1,010 meters.
The trainings and competitions are held at the Stelvio Ski Center, a renowned World Cup and world championships venue widely regarded as one of the most challenging downhill slopes in the world.
"I think it's the most difficult downhill on circuit," said host nation racer Dominik Paris. The 36-year-old, nicknamed the "King of Bormio" for claiming four victories here, said he would choose a lion if asked to compare the course to an animal.
Heavy snowfall hit Bormio a day before the first training, creating softer surface conditions that can affect downhill racing, which typically favors hard, icy snow.
"The snow is a little bit softer than normal," said Austrian skier Vincent Kriechmayr. "It's a fight from the start until the finish."
The second official downhill training session is scheduled for Thursday. ■
