Swiss ski cross racer Michael Schmid, who earned the first ever Olympic gold medal in the discipline as well as the World Cup overall crystal globe last season, injured his left knee while training in late June. A scope revealed that the 26-year-old skier tore his ACL and meniscus. It is the second time Schmid has torn the same ligament.

The Frutigen, Bernese Oberland native will have surgery in early July to repair the damage. Schmid will miss the entire summer training season while rehabilitating.

"Such injuries can always happen. I look positively into the future and hope to be back in the winter to fully join the training so I can compete at the very front again in the following seasons," said Schmid.

Image by Gepa