Two-time Olympic and five-time world champion Ted Ligety was expected back in the United States on Thursday after becoming the latest big-name alpine skier to suffer a season-ending knee injury.
Ligety tore the anterior cruciate ligament during giant slalom training on Wednesday at Bad Hindelang in Germany, in preparation of Sunday's race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
"We all know ski racing is a dangerous sport but I always thought I could avoid a season ender. Unfortunately today I tore my ACL, GS training, and am heading home," he said on Facebook.
The American Ski Federation said Ligety would undergo further medical examinations in the US.
Ligety is the fifth skier within a week to rupture a cruciate ligament which sidelines athletes for several months.
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World Cup leader Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and Austria's Georg Streitberger suffered the fate in crashes on Saturday at the Kitzbuehel downhill, Austrian Florian Scheiber in downhill training, and Italy's Giuliano Razzoli in Sunday's Kitzbuehel slalom.
Defending women's World Cup champion Anna Fenninger suffered the same mishap before the season.
Also out since December is American sensation Mikaela Shiffrin.
