The spectacular fall, his second in a month, saw Morgenstern lose balance and land heavily on his back and head before sliding lifelessly down the slope. The 27-year-old is one of Austria’s leading gold medal hopes for the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics.

Deaths at Dakar rally
Meanwhile, a Belgian rider died in this year’s Dakar Rally, organisers announced yesterday. Honda’s Eric Palante (50) was the third person to die after two members of a news team perished when their car plunged into a ravine.