Shattered kneecap, injured thigh bone, and severely bruised. Now, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs begins the long road back to the ski tracks and Ski Classics.

A week ago, Anikken Gjerde Alnæs was hit by a car during roller ski training. She was severely injured and transported to the hospital by ambulance.

The Pro Team athlete recounts that she panicked when she couldn’t move and felt that she had no sensation in her knee. It turned out that she had shattered her kneecap in her right leg and had sustained injuries to her thigh bone. She underwent surgery for her injuries at Aker Hospital.

Also Read: Gjerde Alnæs hit by a car while roller skiing

The 30-year-old is out of the hospital and has her first physiotherapy sessions at the beginning of next week.

“The main focus in the first phase is training exercises and maintaining a positive energy balance for a better healing process,” says Gjerde Alnæs to Langrenn.com.

The accident occurred in Follo on Wednesday, June 26.

As Gjerde Alnæs recalls, she was roller skiing on a pathway next to the main road when a car at high speed turned off to drive onto a gravel road. The driver reportedly did not see her at all before the collision.

The police have opened a case following the incident, and Gjerde Alnæs is scheduled for an interview with the police. She does not know much more at this point.

“It is the police who have reported (the driver), so I don’t know more than that yet,” she tells Langrenn.com.

Also Read – Roller ski safety: Essential steps

Fighting Her Way Back

Rehabilitation is now the top priority for the Pro Team athlete. When Gjerde Alnæs can expect to return to regular training is still unknown.

But Gjerde Alnæs, who recently joined Team Engcon, is determined to return to the ski tracks. In this regard, the team and those around her have been a great help, she says.

“Things are going okay under the circumstances. My condition varies greatly, but I have already achieved much more than I initially could have imagined. I am positive and take all the good days I get,” she says.

Also Read: Team Engcon for Season XVI

Roller skiing vs. Road safety

The accident has brought attention to the critical importance of road safety for outdoor athletes. The Pro Team athlete was on a routine training session when the accident occurred, drastically altering her plans for the summer. The road to recovery will now involve a rehabilitation period.

This accident serves as a crucial reminder for both drivers and athletes to be extra vigilant on the roads. Like many outdoor sports enthusiasts, roller skiers are particularly vulnerable and depend on drivers to respect their presence.

As Gjerde Alnæs advises, taking an extra moment to check your surroundings can make a significant difference in preventing accidents and ensuring everyone’s safety on the roads.  

A few years ago, in January 2022, another Pro Team athlete suffered a similar accident during a ski training session in Livigno, Italy.

Oskar Kardin, who was racing for Team Ragde Charge at the time, was hit by a car that, according to him, was coming at high speed when he was crossing the ski tracks by the road.

Read More: Kardin hit by a car while skiing