Severe birthday accident: France’s Flora Dolci out for the season

French cross-country skier Flora Dolci has been ruled out for the entire upcoming Olympic season after a serious paragliding accident on her 26th birthday left her with a fractured lumbar vertebra.

According to French team doctor Thibault Barbe, there was initial concern about possible neurological complications. After surgery in Grenoble, Dolci is doing well and is able to walk. Doctors estimate it will take about six months for her to regain 100% of her performance capacity.

The injury is a major blow to the French team. Dolci finished last season as the top French woman in the overall World Cup standings (27th) and placed inside the top 10 in the women’s 50 km freestyle at the World Championships in Trondheim. With her recovery timeline extending through the winter, she will miss the entire season.