Fiancé of Mikaela Shiffrin, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, will be unavailable for the forthcoming ski season following a significant setback in his recovery from a severe downhill accident.

Kilde, the 2020 overall champion and a two-time Olympic medalist from Norway, announced on Wednesday that he will require reconstructive shoulder surgery due to a chronic infection that has damaged some of the bone. After the surgery, he anticipates needing three to four months of rehabilitation before he can bear weight on the joint.

“It really speaks for itself,” Kilde shared in an Instagram post featuring images from his hospital stay and scans of his injuries. “We are going to keep fighting. I believe this is the final step before hopefully getting back to skiing.”

After crashing into a safety net during a downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland, last January, Kilde underwent emergency surgery. This accident resulted in a severe leg injury that also affected a nerve, alongside ligament tears and a dislocated shoulder.

Although his recovery was tough, Kilde reported that by June, both his leg and shoulder felt pretty good and “I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, he experienced discomfort in his shoulder, and subsequent tests revealed a severe infection.

Kilde underwent two surgeries in Vail, Colorado, where Shiffrin spends her off-season, and for a time, antibiotics appeared to be effective. However, the infection soon returned, leading to two more surgeries after he returned to Europe.

“That part has been the most challenging thus far,” he remarked. “It has been mentally tough, not just because it delays my return to skiing but also because I was questioning whether I would be able to use my shoulder properly again.”

Despite the challenges, Kilde expressed that the infection seems to have resolved following six additional weeks of antibiotic treatment.

“The situation was complicated because the infection was very aggressive and had persisted in my shoulder for an extended period, damaging the bone,” he explained. “All the hardware that was placed in my shoulder had to be removed.”

Kilde, age 32, is recognized as one of the top downhill skiers globally, having secured the season title for the two years prior to his accident. He clarified that he is not retiring and intends to stay involved in the skiing world this season, starting with a presence in Soelden, Austria, this weekend as Shiffrin begins her season.

The couple, together for nearly four years, got engaged in April.

“This season, we’ll take it as it comes,” said Shiffrin, who holds the record for the most World Cup wins, with 97 victories, more than any other skier, regardless of gender.