Vonn says 'Olympic dream is not over' after crashing

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Lindsey Vonn crashed and injured her left knee Friday in her final downhill race before the Olympics, but said she still hopes to recover in time for the Milan Cortina Winter Games."This is a very difficult outcome one week before the Olympics… but if there's one thing I know how to do, it's a comeback," the 41-year-old American wrote on Instragram, hours after she was airlifted off the course for medical checks. "My Olympic dream is not over."Vonn was the third skier to crash in the World Cup race in Crans-Montana when she lost control while landing a jump and ended up tangled in the safety nets on the upper portion of the course.She got up after receiving medical attention for about five minutes, seemingly in pain and using her poles to steady herself. Vonn then skied slowly to the finish line, stopping a couple of times on the way down and clutching her left knee."I crashed today in the Downhill race in Switzerland and injured my left knee. I am discussing the situation with my doctors and team and will continue to undergo further exams," Vonn wrote in her Instagram post. The race, which was held in difficult conditions with low visibility, was canceled after Vonn's crash.The American, who was expected to be one of the biggest stars of the Games, limped into a tent for medical attention before being airlifted away by helicopter, dangling from a hoist cable with two people attending her.Before she entered the tent, Vonn had an anxious expression on her face and her eyes were closed during a long embrace with teammate Jacqueline Wiles, who was leading the race when it was canceled.Vonn made a stunning comeback last season at age 40 after nearly six years away from ski racing. Skiing with a partial titanium implant in her right knee, she has been the circuit's leading downhiller this season with two victories and three other podium finishes in the five races.Including super-G, Vonn had completed eight World Cup races this season and finished on the podium in seven of them. Her worst finish was fourth.The crash occurred exactly a week before the Milan Cortina opening ceremony.Vonn's first Olympic race is the women's downhill on Feb. 8. She was also planning on competing in the super-G and the new team combined event at the Games.Women's skiing at the Olympics will be held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where Vonn holds the record of 12 World Cup wins.Vonn was also planning on racing a super-G in Crans-Montana on Saturday in what would have been her final race before the Games.Vonn was the sixth racer in Friday's downhill and had registered the fastest time at the first checkpoint before landing a jump off-balance. She lifted her left arm and pole high into the air in an attempt to regain her balance. As she tried to brake, she got spun around and ended up in the nets.Romane Miradoli of France, who did complete her run as the second to start, said visibility was an issue, with snow falling."You can't see," Miradoli said, "and it's bumpy everywhere."Asked if it was dangerous, Miradoli added, "We just couldn't see well."Vonn has had numerous crashes in her career. One of her worst was at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria, during a super-G that was also held in difficult conditions. Vonn then had to be airlifted off the course and tore apart her right knee. She returned the following season, got hurt again and missed the 2014 Sochi Olympics.