Lindsey Vonn has been allowed to get back on the skis this week after a crash in November that partially tore her right ACL, and is trying to stick it out rather than head straight to surgery.

It’s an injury that aggravated an already damaged knee; the Olympic downhill skiier had to be airlifted off a mountain in Austria this February after a horrific crash and says she knows surgery is in the cards, but she wants to see how well the knee does in an effort to compete at the Olympics next year.

“Might as well see how long it holds up,” Vonn said. “Not a lot of options. In the end, surgery is going to have to happen.”

Vonn has been practicing the super-G run in Vail, Colorado this week but will not be competing at Beaver Creek this weekend.

“Definitely with this current situation, there was no way I could’ve skied that bumpy, steep course (Beaver Creek),” Vonn said. “I know it was the right decision. That gives me a peace of mind. I’m trying to look forward to Lake Louise and cheer for my team.”

The decision not to race was a tough one, since Beaver Creek was supposed to have been her comeback after the initial injury in Austria.

“While I physically feel great, I have decided to not race this weekend and instead will focus on returning in Beaver Creek. I am confident the extra month of training will ultimately put me in the best position to have a successful season,” she said in October.

Image: Wikimedia Commons