Bad news for the Swedish Alpine Team. Even before the 2022/23 World Cup season really picks up speed, the team has lost one of its stalwarts in Charlotta Säfvenberg.
As the 28-year-old announced on social media on Tuesday, she tore a cruciate ligament during training in Austria last week and will therefore miss the entire World Cup season. The worst fears came true after further investigations were carried out in Sweden on Monday.
“I’ve probably never ridden better than now at the end. I’ve had a great autumn and our team has never felt so good. I feel like I was really on the right track. We figured out what we’re working on and everything came together,” said the disappointed Swede in the press release she released.
Due to the good omens for the upcoming season, Säfvenberg spoke of the “worst possible timing” of her serious injury. Nevertheless, she is still motivated: “I will do everything to start again next season.”
Particularly bitter for the 28-year-old: The cruciate ligament tear she has now suffered is her second in the last three years. At that time it hit her right knee, this time the left one is affected.
Säfvenberg has been at the start for the Swedish Alpine team in the World Cup since the 2013/14 season. She celebrated her greatest success a year earlier in Québec, Canada, where she became junior team world champion with the Swedish team.
In the World Cup, however, the slalom specialist has so far been denied great success. There she has landed in the top ten twice so far, her best result in the slalom World Cup ranking dates from the 2014/15 season when Säfvenberg was 23rd.