Olympics
Norwegian alpine ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has announced that he will not compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina, Italy, opting instead to end his season early as he continues his long recovery from serious injuries.
Kilde shared the news in a candid message on social media, describing his return to World Cup racing this winter as a personal triumph—but also acknowledging the physical and mental challenges that remain. After more than a year away from competition following complex injuries, simply making it back to the start gate was, in his words, “a victory in itself.”
“Being back was a victory in itself.
Now I‘m chasing the next big win.”— Aleksander Aamodt Kilde
Kilde returned to ski racing this season after a nearly two-year absence following a shocking crash on the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, in January 2024. Kilde’s crash left him with a severe laceration to his leg and a complicated dislocation of his left shoulder, which severed ligaments and caused extensive damage to the athlete’s rotator cuff. His shoulder injuries initially healed well, but he was later plagued with continued infections and sepsis, resulting in repeat surgeries and prolonged recovery for the Norwegian athlete, resulting in a 22-month absence from the World Cup. Kilde has been one of the most dominant speed men on the World Cup circuit, securing the 2022-23 Downhill Crystal Globe and leading the standings in the 2023-24 season prior to his crash.
“Returning to the World Cup this season already means more to me than I could have imagined a year ago,” Kilde wrote. “Just making it back was a victory I’ll always be proud of.” However, the 31-year-old admitted that racing again at the highest level highlighted how much work still lies ahead. Competing against the world’s best downhillers, Kilde said, was a reminder that full confidence—both physically and mentally—is essential to push at the limit required to win. “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,” he wrote. “Right now, I need more repetition to get there.”
Kilde explained that the rapid transition back into full-speed training placed unexpected strain on his body, leading to lingering back issues. Those problems forced him to miss the iconic Kitzbühel races and made recent starts, including Crans-Montana, particularly difficult. “With the sudden jump in full-speed training, my body has needed more time than my mind would like,” Kilde said. “That’s led to the back issues that kept me out of Kitzbühel and made racing in Crans-Montana anything but easy.”
As a result, Kilde has decided to end his season earlier than planned—a decision that will also extend to the Milan–Cortina Games. While disappointed, he framed the choice as a strategic move aimed at long-term success rather than a short-term gamble. “At this point, I’ve accomplished my comeback,” he wrote. “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.”
A multiple-time World Cup winner and one of Norway’s most decorated speed skiers, Kilde emphasized that his ambitions remain unchanged. He is not satisfied with merely returning to racing—he wants to win again. “Ending the season wasn’t what I wanted, but looking back, I’m proud of what this return represents,” he concluded. “Still, I’m here to win races and right now, that means playing the long game.”
For Kilde, stepping away from Olympic dreams in 2026 is not an ending, but a reset—one aimed at ensuring that when he does return at full strength, he is ready to fight for victories once more.
