Lindsey Vonn crashes during training

Reigning Olympic downhill champion Lindsey Vonn crashed yesterday while training in Copper Mountain, Colo., before her planned return to racing following major knee surgery.

U.S. Ski Team spokesman Tom Kelly said Vonn was taken down the hill on a sled, which he noted was "normal protocol" in such cases. Kelly said he was not sure whether Vonn hurt her surgically repaired right knee in the fall at the team's speed training center.

"We have no reason to believe it's anything significant right now," Kelly told The Associated Press.

A spokesman for Vonn, Lewis Kay, issued a statement saying the ski racer was not admitted to a hospital and instead went home to Vail to be evaluated by the doctor who performed her knee surgery. Kay didn't specify the nature of her injuries.

"We expect to have clarity on the situation in the next 24 hours," Kay said.

Vonn, a four-time overall World Cup champion, tore ligaments in her right knee at the world championships in February. She has been aiming to return to World Cup competition next week in Beaver Creek, Colo. The Sochi Games are in February.

Vonn recently said her super-G is "some of the best super-G I've ever skied, but my downhill still needs a little more time." She's been taking practice runs in Copper Mountain, and posted on Twitter Monday: "Catching some air today in Downhill training." She also said that she's reluctantly been wearing a protective knee brace under doctor's orders.

"It's in my best interest to play it safe," Vonn said. "I compromised and said that as long as I don't have to wear [the brace] for the Olympics, I'll be fine."

Vonn, 29, attended the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos on Sunday night, hanging out on the sideline with boyfriend Tiger Woods.

Vonn needs just three more wins to match Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell's record of 62 World Cup race victories.