Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will not compete at the Olympic Games. After much consideration with his team following the World Cup race in Crans-Montana, Kilde has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the upcoming Winter Games in Italy. Kilde is proud about his fight back to World Cup racing after his serious crash in Wengen in January 2024 and will now shift his focus to preparing for next season.
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde Statement:
Returning to the World Cup this season already means more to me than I could have imagined a year ago. Just making it back was a victory I’ll always be proud of.
But I’ve also learned that coming back after complex injuries and so much time away is tougher than I expected. Being back on the start gate alongside the best downhillers in the world was a sharp reminder that both body and mind need to be fully ready to push every run to the limit. Right now, I need more repetition to get there.
With the sudden jump in full-speed training, my body has needed more time than my mind would like. That’s led to the back issues that kept me out of Kitzbühel and made racing in Crans-Montana anything but easy.
Because of that, I’ve decided to end my season earlier than planned. At this point, I’ve accomplished my comeback. I’ve seen the pace, felt it in my body, and now I know exactly what it will take to climb back to the top.
Ending the season wasn’t what I wanted, but looking back, I’m proud of what this return represents. Still, I’m here to win races and right now, that means playing the long game.
Being back was a victory in itself. Now I’m chasing the next big win.
-Aleksander Aamodt Kilde
