Lisa Vittozzi, the winner of the 2023/2024 BMW IBU World Cup Total Score, will not compete this season to prioritize recovery ahead of the home Olympics in Milano Cortina. According to a FISI press release, the back issues Vittozzi suffered during her final preparations last autumn are preventing her from returning to competition.

After dealing with a back problem at the start of the autumn, Vittozzi dedicated herself to recovery, successfully resolving the issue a couple of weeks ago. However, her feelings upon resuming training convinced the Italian and her coaches not to rush her return Instead, they chose to prioritize her full physical, competitive, and mental recovery in the coming months, with a clear focus on being fully prepared for the next Olympic season.

“I started this season with enthusiasm and the desire to remain a top-level contender”, said Vittozzi in the FISI release: “Unfortunately, the issue that arose during a critical moment of preparation forced me to stop, and when I resumed more intense training, my body couldn’t handle the workload, even though the coaches had prepared a lighter program. Therefore, we decided not to force a return to avoid further risks and to safeguard the upcoming months of training, shifting our focus to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games, which are the true goal of this four-year cycle.”

The whole biathlon family wishes Vittozzi a speedy and full recovery.

Photo header: Manzoni-IBU