French alpine skier Cyprien Sarrazin is not troubled by near-fatal crash but still uncertain about his comeback

French skier Cyprien Sarrazin has said that he is not suffering from post-traumatic stress after his heavy crash at a World Cup downhill race in December. However, the athlete remains uncertain about his future in the sport and has yet to decide whether he will return to racing. 

In a social media post, the athlete shared: “I’ve seen my fall again, no ptsd, but I realized I’m almost there… I see the positive, I take the time, and progress is even faster than expected. It’s still too early to talk about the competition, but one thing’s for sure: the flame is still there. 🔥”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cyprien Sarrazin (@cyprien_sarrazin)

The incident

The 30-year-old athlete endured a serious crash during a World Cup downhill event in Bormio, Italy, in December. After the accident, he was airlifted to the hospital and immediately underwent surgery to drain a bleed in his brain, a procedure that is necessary to prevent further complications. 

In addition to the head injury, Sarrazin also suffered injuries to his foot and knee. Following intensive treatment, he was able to leave the intensive care unit in January. 

Following this experience, he said: “I came close to death. I remember everything up to 20 metres before the fall. From that moment until five days after the operation, I have no memories.” 

He added, “I don’t remember how I felt after the fall or the evacuation. That’s good because I don’t have any post-traumatic stress right now. I’m aware that it could happen to me at any moment.” 

Sarrazin mentioned that he was receiving psychological support to aid in his recovery, although he clarified that he was not experiencing anxiety. He also said that his double vision, a lingering effect from the crash, was improving each passing day. 

“The airbag saved my life. It detected the 16G of the impact. If it hadn’t been for the airbag, it would have been even more dramatic,” the athlete stated. 

He had a standout World Cup season last year, achieving four victories– a downhill win in Bormio, two in Kitzbühel, and a Super-G triumph in Wengen. However, before the crash, he had yet to secure a victory in the 2024-25 season.