French skier Cyprien Sarrazin out of intensive care in Italy after crash and head injury | CBC Sports

French skier Cyprien Sarrazin was out of intensive care Thursday after sustaining a head injury in a crash last week.

Sarrazin underwent surgery for a bleed near the brain after crashing on Friday during preparations for the World Cup downhill in Bormio, Italy.

“A long period of recovery and then rehabilitation now begins, and the length of his unavailability is currently undetermined,” the French Ski Federation said on Thursday on X. It added he was stable.

Sarrazin, who won the downhill on Bormio’s Stelvio course last year, had the operation at Sondalo hospital near Bormio on the same day as the accident.

The French Ski Federation said he had pain in his foot and knee but “despite the violence of the shock, no other injuries were found.”

It said he was due to return to France on Friday to be admitted to the neurosurgery department of the Medipole de Lyon.

The 30-year-old Sarrazin was the fastest in the first training session the day before his crash. On Friday’s second run he appeared to hit a bump, lost control and was catapulted into the air. He slid a long way down before he was caught in the safety netting.

The slope will be used for the Milan-Cortina Olympics in 14 months.

WATCH | Canada’s Cam Alexander races to bronze in Bormio downhill: