The world's best skier Ivica Kostelić returned to Zagreb from Basel, where he successfully operated on his right knee at the Bruderholc clinic on Monday.
Immediately after landing at Pleso airport, he held a press conference, where he announced his return to the World Cup races on March 10, when the slalom is being raced in Kranjska Gora, and added that he has not given up the fight to defend the big Crystal Globe, even though he will have to to miss as many as nine races.
Kostelić had a piece of the meniscus of his right knee removed, which caused pain and prevented full extension of the knee.
"In the first seven days, I have to save the muscle and stay in good physical condition. The most realistic thing to expect is that I return to Kranjska Gora. Missing the next races is a big loss, but in slalom I still have a solid reserve and if I'm in good shape I think anything is possible. "My biggest motivation is to defend the Crystal Globe in slalom, and that's how you get to the big Crystal Globe," said Kostelić.
The reigning World Cup winner suffered an injury during the downhill for Sunday's super combined in Sochi, Russia, and later cruised to victory to claim the small Crystal Globe in the event and extend his lead in the overall World Cup standings.
Kostelić currently leads the World Cup with 1.043 points, 70 more than the Swiss Beat Fojc, and 218 more than the Austrian Marcel Hiršer. In the slalom standings, the 32-year-old Croatian is the leader with 595 points, second is Hirscher with 460, and third is Italian Christian Devil with 370.
Due to the injury, Kostelić will miss the giant slalom and slalom in Bansko (Bulgaria) this weekend, the parallel slalom in Moscow on Tuesday, two super-giant slaloms and a giant slalom in Crans-Montana next weekend, and two super-giant slaloms and a downhill in Kvitfjel in early March.
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