VAL D'ISERE, France -- Overall World Cup leader Ivica Kostelic left the world championships Saturday to return home to Croatia to treat his injured back.
Kostelic said after Thursday's downhill training he was 70 percent fit. He completed another run Friday.
He will be treated at a spinal clinic in Daruvar, Croatian ski federation manager Vedran Pavlek said in a statement.
"In case his health improves in the coming days, he may come back to participate in the slalom next Sunday," Pavlek said.
Kostelic has said the World Cup is his priority this season. He won a gold medal in slalom at the 2003 worlds. Kostelic leads Jean-Baptiste Grange of France 742-706 after 26 World Cup events.