French Skier Cyprien Sarrazin Back On Snow One Year After Serious Head Injury

Nearly one year to the day after a horrific training crash left him fighting for his life in an Italian hospital, French alpine skiing star Cyprien Sarrazin has successfully clicked back into his bindings.

In a move that many feared might never happen, the 31-year-old speed specialist shared a video on social media this week showing his first turns back on the snow. The footage, posted Thursday, marks the end of a harrowing 12-month battle against a severe traumatic brain injury that threatened not just his career, but his life.

In his Instagram post Sarrazin wrote that “the sensations were good … nothing can compare to that!”, adding that he had been right to take his time and that while he still faces a long road back — including lingering knee pain — the session represented a major emotional and physical milestone. Two months after the accident he told L’Équipe he wanted to resume skiing but was uncertain whether he would return to racing at the highest level, reflecting the difficult choices athletes face after traumatic brain injury.

"I may not yet fully realize how far I've come," he added. "But hey! This is a more-than-positive first step."

The ski world has held its collective breath for Sarrazin since December 27, 2024. During a training run on the notoriously unforgiving Stelvio course in Bormio—the scheduled site of the 2026 Olympic downhill—Sarrazin lost control after a jump.

The impact was catastrophic. He suffered a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain) and was airlifted to a hospital where he underwent emergency neurosurgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

In candid interviews earlier this year, Sarrazin revealed the gravity of his survival. "They removed half the top of my skull," he told reporters in August, describing the craniectomy required to save him. "I realized that I don't have many jokers in life. I had one, and I used it perfectly."

While the sight of the "King of Kitzbühel" back on snow has thrilled fans, Sarrazin has been quick to temper expectations regarding a return to competition.

He has officially ruled out racing for the remainder of the 2025-2026 season, meaning he will miss the upcoming Winter Olympics. Instead, his eyes are fixed on a complete recovery for the 2026-2027 World Cup season, with a long-term dream of competing at the 2030 Winter Olympics on home soil in the French Alps.

"There is still a long way to go before I can ski again the way I'd like to, without knee pain," Sarrazin noted, referencing lingering orthopedic issues that have complicated his rehabilitation.

Before the accident, Sarrazin was the hottest name in skiing, having secured a historic double victory at the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel in January 2024. Today, his definition of victory has shifted.

"I almost died," he said. "To be able to ride a bike, to have a normal life—that is already a miracle."

Key Recovery Timeline

• Dec. 27, 2024: Sarrazin crashes during training in Bormio; undergoes emergency brain surgery.
• Jan. 2025: Transferred from ICU to a rehabilitation facility in France.
• Aug. 2025: Announces he will sit out the 2025-26 season to focus on health.
• Dec. 11, 2025: Returns to snow for the first time.

For now, the man who once challenged the dominance of Marco Odermatt is simply grateful to be back in his element. As he carved down the gentle slope in his video, far removed from the icy steeps of the World Cup circuit, the message was clear: the joy of skiing remains, even when the clock is no longer running.