For Federica Brignone cruciate rupture and fracture. Race against time for the Olympics

'The surgery went well, I would say even better than expected: it confirmed a bad fracture with a capsular ligament lesion of the medial side and also of the anterior cruciate. The bone reduction came out well, a plate with screws was put in'. This is how Dr. Andrea Panzeri, president of the Fisi Medical Commission and doctor who operated on Federica Brignone, explained how the surgery on the Italian champion went. "The medial ligament part was repaired, while we will evaluate the cruciate ligament later. Federica woke up, she's in the room, she has some pain - continued Panzeri -. Tomorrow (today, ed.) she starts the rehabilitation path that will slowly lead her to her recovery. We foresee 45 days of unloading, then week by week we will see how to modify the programme'.

'In the happiest moment of my career, I really didn't need it, I still had a month of work ahead of me and I was looking forward to it. Instead, I will have to face a new challenge in which I will put all of myself, as always,' were Federica Brignone's first words after the operation. "The conditions of the slope were excellent, I was fine - the Italian added, finding the strength to joke - and if I went back I would do everything the same way again.... Trying not to fall, though!".

Federica ended her magical year by ending up in the operating theatre due to a straddle with her arm midway through the giant slalom valid for the Italian championships at Alpe Lusia, in Val di Fassa. The champion from Valle d'Aosta ran into an extra-rotation coming out of a gate to the right, with an abnormal movement of her legs and a violent impact on the snow. Immediately rescued, she was transported by helicopter to Trento hospital and after an initial CT scan that showed a multi-fragment fracture of the tibial plateau and the head of the fibula, she was transferred by helicopter to the 'Madonnina' clinic for the completion of X-ray examinations before undergoing an operation in the evening by Dr. Panzeri, the same surgeon who operated on Sofia Goggia over a year ago for the fracture of the right tibial plateau.

During the perfectly successful operation, which lasted about two hours, a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament was also revealed, which will be evaluated in the coming weeks. The injury will force the 'Tiger' into a long recovery period, between five and six months minimum. He will miss the spring trials but above all the summer training sessions, and the hope is that he will be able to take part in the Olympics next February.

It is now a race against time for the Valle d'Aosta athlete, who has not suffered any serious injuries in her career, as Panzeri himself pointed out. In December 2012, her career was interrupted by the removal of a cyst in her malleolus, which had been causing her problems for some time, but otherwise she has always managed her career in the best possible way, without any particular physical setbacks. Another challenge for the 34-year-old from Valle d'Aosta, who will have to change her programme completely. No mountain climbing, cycling or day surfing. Only rehabilitation in order to regain muscle tone as soon as possible and minimise the gap due to the long stop. However, the Italian appeared calm, aware of what awaits her. "Her mood is high, she is not down. After all, she is not a tiger for nothing,' Fisi let it be known before Federica underwent the operation. 'I found her serene, like all great athletes when they get hurt they accept what happens but as always great champions know how to react. The important thing is that everything goes well,' Panzeri added.