COPPER MOUNTAIN — Olympic gold medalist and six-time downhill World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn crashed during a training run Tuesday morning at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain. Officials with the U.S. Ski Team said she was being evaluated, and they expect to update her condition today.

The accident was first reported by skiracing.com. Following the crash, Vonn was taken down the hill on a ski patrol sled, in what was initially described as a precautionary measure.

A photo posted to Twitter shows Vonn walking with assistance at the base of the slope. However, the extent of the injury is unclear.

---

---

Early in the afternoon team spokesperson Tom Kelly told the Associated Press, “We have no reason to believe it’s anything significant right now.”

In an email later in the day Kelly said, “She is being evaluated to determine if there are any injuries.”

---

---

When reached for comment about the news at his home in California, U.S. Women’s Speed Team head coach Chip White said, “I’m saddened and very disappointed.”

White said he’d received the news via telephone earlier in the day. He would not elaborate on her condition. “I just know that she crashed fairly hard today. I don’t know the extent of it.”

Vonn’s publicist released a statement saying that Vonn was not taken to the hospital but was being evaluated by team physician Dr. Bill Sterett of Vail Summit Orthopedics.

It was unclear Tuesday afternoon if she had reinjured her knee.

Sterett is also the surgeon who repaired Vonn’s torn ACL and MCL earlier this year. He could not be reached for comment.

Vonn tore the ligaments this past February during competition at the world championships in Austria.

Earlier this month, Sterett told the Summit Daily in Frisco that Vonn’s knee rehabilitation was ahead of schedule.

After opting out of the first World Cup race of the year in Soelden, Austria, 0ct.26., Vonn was expected to make her return to competition during the World Cup races in Beaver Creek later this month.

Of the decision to miss the first race she said, “I didn’t have much training since I started only in September. I didn’t quite feel ready. I felt like I needed more training.”

Vonn returned to on-snow conditioning in September and has been training at Copper Mountain and Vail. She first resumed downhill training Nov. 6 at the team’s Speed Center at Copper Mountain.