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Two-times world champion Lindsey Vonn will miss Thursday's giant slalom after cutting her right thumb while opening a bottle of champagne.

Vonn, who sustained the injury while celebrating her downhill victory, underwent surgery to repair a damaged tendon on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old American, who also won the super-G last week, still hopes to enter the slalom on Saturday.

"She will not take part in the giant slalom but she is planning to take part in the slalom," US team spokesman Doug Haney said.

Vonn's victories saw her become the most successful female American skier of all time.

Not everything went according to plan, however: her dream of becoming the first woman to win medals in all five events at the same championships was shattered when she was disqualified after clocking the second-fastest time in the super-combined for straddling a gate in the slalom section.

Her misfortunes rekindled memories of her run at the last World Championships two years ago in Are, Sweden, where she won silver in the super-G and downhill before being ruled out of the remaining events by injury.

Once a speed specialist under her maiden name of Kildow, the American will start among the favourites on Saturday after posting her first two World Cup slalom wins this season.

Reuters