Italian skier Matteo Franzoso dies after horror training accident, aged 25

Italian skier Matteo Franzoso has died following a crash in pre-season training in Chile, the Italian Winter Sports Federation announced. He was 25.

He’s the second elite Italian skier to die in less than a year, after Matilde Lorenzi in October 2024.

Franzoso suffered “a major head injury” on Saturday and was being treated at a hospital in Santiago.

The federation, FISI, said it was informed by medical officials in Chile of the skier’s death, adding he did not survive “cranial trauma” and a consequent swelling of his brain.

Franzoso won a super-G race on the second-tier Europa Cup circuit in 2021, having finished fourth in the downhill at the world junior championships in 2020.

He competed in 17 World Cup races — 11 super-Gs and six downhills. His best World Cup result was 28th in a super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo in January 2023.

He had never been to the Olympics before but was expected to be in the mix for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games in five months.

“It’s a tragedy for his family and for our sport,” FISI president Flavio Roda said.

“It’s absolutely necessary to do everything possible so accidents like this don’t happen anymore.”

Franzoso crashed through two layers of safety fencing on a course at La Parva and slammed into another type of fence positioned six to seven metres outside the course.

He was transported by helicopter to the hospital.

Franzoso was training with Italian team standouts Dominik Paris, Christof Innerhofer, Mattia Casse and others.

The Azzurri are preparing to race on home snow at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.

American Olympic gold medallist Lindsey Vonn posted a black and white picture of Franzoso on Instagram.

“This is incredibly sad. I was skiing this exact slope three weeks ago … RIP Matteo. My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”