Manuel Feller’s back problems have not gone away; another surgery for a herniated disc: “No Chile for me”

Manuel Feller has never hidden the fact that his back problems will essentially accompany him throughout the final phase of his career, but they did not prevent him from securing an Olympic medal in the team combined at Milano Cortina 2026, nor from enjoying, just a few days earlier, an even greater thrill for him in the race he considers his home event, Kitzbuehel, finally triumphing in the slalom on the Ganslern.

Right after the Games, the 1992-born skier from Fieberbrunn stopped again, ending his competitive winter a few weeks early. Now, in the second half of the summer, when preparation really got into full swing and the training loads consequently increased, he was forced to undergo surgery again for another herniated disc.

Manuel himself revealed it this evening in a social media video shared with the Austrian Ski Federation, explaining the setback that means he will miss the training camp with his national-team teammates in Chile and, clearly, raises some doubts about whether he can have a good preparation at least for the first World Cup slalom, scheduled for next 15 November in Levi. “I had hoped that things would go better during my rehabilitation process; unfortunately, difficulties arose when we increased the training loads,” Feller said. “The reaction was negative, and I underwent surgery again for a herniated disc.

It takes patience, but I am now optimistic about the recovery process and returning to working at 100%. This means having to give up the training camp in Chile. We are on the right track, and I continue to work hard at home.”