AN ITALIAN alpine skier was airlifted to hospital after a terrifying crash at the Ski World Cup.

Christof Innerhofer suffered a horrific ordeal when he lost control on a run in the Super-G event at Stelvio in northern Italy.

The 39-year-old four-time Olympian, a downhill speed specialist, clattered into a gate and then slammed into the safety netting with huge force.

Video footage showed Innerhofer bleeding from his face after the high-speed accident.

Fellow skiers preparing for their runs watched in shock and horror as they saw the awful scenes on a TV screen.

The race was immediately suspended as several medics tended to Innerhofer, who did manage to stand up gingerly and communicate.

But, despite maintaining consciousness and some mobility, the decision was made to place the skier on a stretcher and lift him into the helicopter, which took him for further tests to assess the extent of the damage.

German news outlet Spiegel states he has a suspected knee injury.

Innerhofer's stunning career includes a world championship gold medal, six World Cup wins, and two bronzes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

But there are fears he may never take to the snow professionally again

Fans took to social media to express their best wishes and sadness after today's crash.

One said: "Legend, icon. This looks like a sad end to a happy career."

Another wrote: "Get well soon."

Innerhofer's shocking incident took place just a day after Marco Schwarz also sustained a nasty injury.

Swiss star Schwarz tore his ACL in his right knee as he fell on a slope.

The World Cup leader underwent surgery and will miss the rest of the season.