Lindsey Vonn (AP Photo) Lindsey Vonn, the reigning Olympic downhill champion, partially tore a ligament in her surgically repaired right knee during a training crash in Vail, Colo., less than three months before the Sochi Games, her publicist says.
What was not immediately clear: When Vonn might be able to compete and how Tuesday's injuries might affect her hopes of competing in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Along with a mild strain in the knee Vonn injured in a high-speed fall at the world championships in February, she has "minor facial abrasions" and a bruised shoulder blade, Lewis Kay said in an email Wednesday.
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Kay says Vonn will rest for a few days, "then will pursue aggressive physical therapy," before deciding when to try to race.
Vonn had been aiming to return to World Cup action next week.
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Maris Van Slyke, a 16-year-old high school skier, was at Copper Mountain hoping to take pictures of Vonn. She was there to capture the image of Vonn being assisted off the slope after her crash.
Vonn was taken down the slope on a sled, the U.S. Ski Team confirmed, noting it is protocol for injuries.
"I just really hope she's OK," Van Slyke said. "Lindsey's kinda my idol."
Vonn, 29, had pronounced her knee 100 percent healthy after he surgery and vigorous rehabilitation. Her ramp-up to competition was monitored by her doctor, Bill Sterett, and trainer.
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She had been aiming at Nov. 29 for her first competition. If all had gone well, she would have been on track for Feb. 12's Olympic downhill in Sochi, Russia.
Vonn won the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games, her first Olympic medal. He also got bronze in the super-G. Her resume includes four World Cup overall titles and 59 race victories on the Alpine skiing circuit.
Vonn has not competed since needing surgery to fix her ACL and MCL after the crash in Austria nine months ago; the ACL was re-injured Tuesday.
Kay said that after Vonn rests for a few days, she "then will pursue aggressive physical therapy and will determine the next time she is able to compete after seeing how she responds to the treatment."
Vonn has won 59 World Cup races, leaving her only three shy of Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of 62.
Vonn recently said her super-G is "some of the best super-G I've ever skied, but my downhill still needs a little more time."
She's been taking practice runs in Copper Mountain and posted on her Twitter account Monday: "Catching some air today in Downhill training."
She also recently said that she's reluctantly been wearing a protective knee brace under doctor's orders.
"It's in my best interest to play it safe," Vonn said. "I compromised and said that as long as I don't have to wear (the brace) for the Olympics, I'll be fine."
MORE: Vonn injury update (SI.com) | Vonn injury more opportunity than threat for NBC (Bloomberg) | Vonn crashes part of fearlessness (USA Today) | Vonn to receive physical therapy (US Magazine)
Contributing: Associated Press