VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) – Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria has been airlifted to a local hospital after crashing in a World Cup downhill race.
Manufacturer Dainese said it was the first time a safety air bag was inflated during a race.
Mayer lost control and spun around, flying down the hill backward.
He landed hard on his right side and organizers said he had trouble breathing initially.
Injury details were not immediately available.