US skiing legend Lindsey Vonn’s fairytale Olympics comeback has ended in disaster after a sickening crash in the women’s downhill that silenced the crowd.

The 41-year-old lost control just 10 seconds into her run on Sunday (local time) and was sent tumbling down the course.

Vonn didn’t move as medical staff rushed to her aid. She could be heard screaming in pain with her skis caught under her at an awkward angle.

After lengthy treatment on the site, Vonn was strapped into a “bucket”, before a helicopter flew her off the mountain.

There was a stunned silence in the finish area where spectators included rapper and Olympic ambassador Snoop Dogg.

Later, it was confirmed that Vonn’s storied career was over after the American alpine great had to have surgery on a broken leg.

Vonn was trying defiantly to win a second downhill gold medal, 16 years after her first at the Vancouver Games and a partial knee replacement in 2024.

She was competing with just one working knee after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in a World Cup crash in Switzerland just days before the Games.

Before that injury she was considered the gold medal favourite, leading the World Cup downhill standings with two victories and podiums in the other three races.

She had also been third in the final training run on the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on Saturday, racing with a brace.

Lindsey Vonn crashes during an alpine ski women’s downhill race. Photo: Olympic Broadcasting Services via AP

The horrendous crash dampened celebrations for her US teammate Breezy Johnson, who was in tears sitting in the gold medal chair at the bottom of the run watching Vonn be treated.

“My heart goes out to her, I hope it is not as bad as it looks,” said Johnson, who never won a World Cup race but added the Olympic gold to the world title she won last year.

The US ski team said in a brief statement that Vonn would be “evaluated by medical staff”.

The other US ski superstar Mikaela Shiffrin posted three prayer emojis on a social media tribute to her teammate.

Lindsey Vonn cries out in pain. Photo: Olympic Broadcasting Services via AP

Johnson became the second American woman to win the downhill, following Vonn’s effort in Vancouver 16 years ago.

She pipped German Emma Aicher by just 0.04 seconds with Italian Sofia Goggia, who lit the Cortina cauldron at the opening ceremony, taking the bronze.

It’s Goggia’s third medal, completing a full set of medals after 2018 gold and 2022 silver.

Johan Eliasch, president of the ruling body FIS, called the Vonn’s crash “tragic.

“I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport, because this race has been the talk of the Games and it’s put our sport in the best possible light,” he said.

“I hope she will have a speedy recovery and be back on skis very soon.”

Teammate Jacqueline Wiles also spoke emotionally about Vonn’s influence over the squad.

“My heart hurts for Lindsey,” she said. “It sucks for her. We’re such a tight group. Lindsey has really been a huge mentor for all of us and seeing her go down like that, it really sucks.

“But it doesn’t change anything about her legacy. She’s a fighter and that’s the way that she’s going to go out and ski every time.”

-with AAP