![Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria practices with a velometer in his hospital bed in Salzburg September 7, 2001. Maier has badly broken his right leg Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria practices with a velometer in his hospital bed in Salzburg September 7, 2001. Maier has badly broken his right leg](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D47AX1/reigning-world-cup-and-double-olympic-ski-champion-hermann-maier-of-austria-practices-with-a-velometer-in-his-hospital-bed-in-salzburg-september-7-2001-maier-has-badly-broken-his-right-leg-in-a-motor-cycle-accident-on-august-24-the-accident-happened-in-radstadt-in-central-austria-when-maiers-motorcycle-collided-with-a-car-maier-was-operated-for-several-hours-in-a-salzburg-hospital-on-a-broken-shin-reuterscalle-toernstroem-pr-2D47AX1.jpg)
Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria practices with a velometer in his hospital bed in Salzburg September 7, 2001. Maier has badly broken his right leg
![World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria cries during a news conference in Vienna in this October 13, 2009 file photo. Maier was never likely to take things World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria cries during a news conference in Vienna in this October 13, 2009 file photo. Maier was never likely to take things](https://l450v.alamy.com/450vfr/2d3f4h6/austrian-world-cup-winner-and-double-olympic-ski-champion-hermann-maier-smiles-in-front-of-the-matterhorn-peak-r-on-the-glacier-of-zermatt-switzerland-july-22-2002-during-a-training-session-of-austrias-national-ski-team-maier-joined-the-training-of-austrias-national-ski-team-for-the-fist-time-since-he-badly-broke-his-right-leg-in-a-motorcycle-accident-on-august-24-2001-2d3f4h6.jpg)
World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria cries during a news conference in Vienna in this October 13, 2009 file photo. Maier was never likely to take things
![Michael von Gruenigen of Switzerland in action during the final run in the Olympic alpine skiing men's giant slalom race February 19. [Von Gruenigen won the bronze medal behind Austrian duo Hermann Michael von Gruenigen of Switzerland in action during the final run in the Olympic alpine skiing men's giant slalom race February 19. [Von Gruenigen won the bronze medal behind Austrian duo Hermann](https://l450v.alamy.com/450vfr/2ckr62p/le-coureur-autrichien-hermann-maier-l-s-entretient-avec-le-coureur-suisse-michael-von-gruenigen-r-apres-une-inspection-de-la-pente-du-slalom-geant-de-la-coupe-du-monde-de-ski-masculin-de-mardi-le-13-janvier-2003-a-adelboden-en-suisse-apres-avoir-presque-perdu-sa-jambe-droite-dans-un-accident-de-moto-en-aout-2001-la-course-de-mardi-sera-sa-premiere-apres-22-mois-de-competition-reuters-denis-balibuse-pla-cr-ws-2ckr62p.jpg)
Michael von Gruenigen of Switzerland in action during the final run in the Olympic alpine skiing men's giant slalom race February 19. [Von Gruenigen won the bronze medal behind Austrian duo Hermann
![Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D4299P/reigning-world-cup-and-double-olympic-ski-champion-hermann-maier-of-austria-stretches-before-skiing-down-a-slope-for-the-first-time-after-his-motorcycle-accident-in-his-home-town-of-flachau-in-austrias-salzburg-province-on-december-21-2001-maier-badly-broke-his-right-leg-in-a-motorcycle-accident-on-august-24-reuterscalle-toernstroem-le-2D4299P.jpg)
Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau
![Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2D47TW3/reigning-world-cup-and-double-olympic-ski-champion-hermann-maier-of-austria-skis-down-a-slope-for-the-first-time-after-his-motorcycle-accident-in-his-home-town-of-flachau-in-austrias-salzburg-province-on-december-21-2001-maier-badly-broke-his-right-leg-in-a-motorcycle-accident-on-august-24-reuterscalle-toernstroem-le-2D47TW3.jpg)
Reigning World Cup and double Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier of Austria stretches before skiing down a slope for the first time after his motorcycle accident in his home town of Flachau
![Hermann Maier (C), vainqueur de la coupe du monde autrichienne et double champion olympique de ski, se prépare à la formation de l'équipe nationale autrichienne de ski sur le glacier de Zermatt, Hermann Maier (C), vainqueur de la coupe du monde autrichienne et double champion olympique de ski, se prépare à la formation de l'équipe nationale autrichienne de ski sur le glacier de Zermatt,](https://c8.alamy.com/compfr/2ckbmn9/hermann-maier-c-vainqueur-de-la-coupe-du-monde-autrichienne-et-double-champion-olympique-de-ski-se-prepare-a-la-formation-de-l-equipe-nationale-autrichienne-de-ski-sur-le-glacier-de-zermatt-en-suisse-le-22-juillet-2002-maier-rejoint-l-entrainement-de-l-equipe-nationale-de-ski-autrichienne-pour-la-premiere-fois-depuis-qu-il-a-serieusement-casse-la-jambe-droite-lors-d-un-accident-de-moto-le-24-aout-2001-reuters-denis-balibuse-db-hm-crb-2ckbmn9.jpg)