American skier Tommy Ford was airlifted to a hospital after suffering a race crash in the International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup giant slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland on Saturday.

Ford, with one giant slalom win in 12 seasons on the World Cup circuit, crashed three gates from the finish after going wide into rough snow beside the course and landing on his head.

A helicopter landed by the course 20 minutes later to airlift the 31-year-old skier, who is from Bend, Oregon.

Ford is "conscious and has been taken to the hospital for evaluation. He was talking to emergency responders when they loaded him," the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team wrote on Twitter.

The team later said Ford's ''head and neck injuries are minor and resolving nicely. He has a knee injury that is undergoing further evaluation.''

Ford wore bib No. 4 on Saturday as one of the top-ranked racers after top-10 finishes in his past four starts. France's Alexis Pinturault won the giant slalom on Saturday, followed by second-placed Filip Zubcic of Croatia and third-placed Loic Meillard of Switzerland.

Ford's next scheduled giant slalom is on February 19 at the world championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

(With input from agencies)