Lindsey Vonn undergoes surgery in Treviso: She broke her leg, she'll be fine, but it'll be a process

American skier Lindsey Vonn broke her left leg after a fall in the downhill at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo today, the hospital in Treviso, where she underwent surgery, announced.

Vonn is in stable condition, according to the US ski team, after undergoing surgery.

"It's going to be good, but it's going to be a process. This sport is brutal and people need to understand as they watch these athletes literally throw themselves down the mountain and go at incredibly high speeds," said Anouk Petty, sports director for the U.S. Ski Association.

Von fell early in the descent, followed by screams. She was taken by helicopter to the Ca' Foncello hospital in Treviso.

This 41-year-old skier decided to compete in the Winter Olympics, even though a week ago, during a World Cup competition in Crans-Montana, she suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, which is why athletes often end their seasons and even careers.

Vonn has won the Grand Crystal Globe for the best World Cup skier four times during her career, and she has won three medals at the Winter Olympics, including gold in the downhill in 2010 in Vancouver.