Ski professional Niels Hintermann’s shock diagnosis: He has cancer

It is a devastating diagnosis that ski racer Niels Hintermann received in preparation for the World Cup season: the speed specialist has lymphatic cancer. “Unfortunately, you see once again how unpredictable and unplanned life is,” says the 29-year-old from Zurich. Suddenly the sport moved far away. Hintermann gave a media conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich, where he provided information about his condition.

A few weeks ago, Hintermann’s physiotherapist discovered a large lymph node on his neck during a treatment at the training camp in South America. Back in Switzerland, the tests showed that it was lymphatic cancer. A tumor was found on the left side of the neck and one right next to it under the collarbone.

Walter O. Frey speaks of an 85 percent chance of recovery

Hintermann will now undergo outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy. “That alone takes three months. The season is over.” The fact that he is already thinking about skiing again shows how confident the two-time World Cup winner is. “The diagnosis remains shocking, but I am eternally grateful that this type of cancer is very curable.” Now it’s time to survive the only important fight.

Walter O. Frey, the responsible Alpine doctor and Chief Medical Officer of Swiss-Ski, speaks of an 85 percent chance of recovery. For him, there are two points that benefit Hintermann in this fight as an athlete: “As a fit professional athlete, he is fundamentally much more robust and better equipped to deal with side effects and immune problems.” This means he can start therapy from a better level than other people.

But the basic attitude of a top athlete also helps him mentally. “He’s used to getting up, biting or fighting if he doesn’t like it, if you’re feeling sick from the chemotherapy.”

An operation is of no use in Hintermann’s case

Hintermann now has two cycles of chemotherapy waiting for him. He will stay at the Hirslanden Clinic for around half a day every one to two weeks for the infusions, and the rest at home. Radiation is then carried out. Surgical removal of the tumors is of no use in Hintermann’s case, says Frey, because the cancer is everywhere in the lymphatics, so it flows through the entire body – and that’s where the medication that Hintermann receives through chemotherapy finds it.

Hintermann will be in close contact with Frey during the treatment. Studies have shown that exercise generally improves the death and relapse rate for cancer and supports therapy. But what this sport will look like is constantly being decided. “Maybe these are just walks,” says Frey. “Maybe he does exercise on the exercise bike for five minutes, but he does so every hour.”

Hintermann emphasizes his good environment that he can count on. «We are all pulling together. This will give me the strength to get through this difficult time.”

A positive aspect is that Hintermann feels good and fit and has no symptoms. He wouldn’t have even noticed the knot on his neck. He was in strong training form and had ended the previous winter in the downhill with a victory.

If everything goes according to plan, he can hope to be back in the Ski World Cup in the 2025/26 season.