Miller takes the risks and is rewarded with the win
Bode Miller took the 33rd win of his career, and third in
Beaver Creek, with this super impressive performance in the
downhill. Miller put in “an amazing run from top to bottom,”
according to the Head coach of the American Team as he got back to
winning ways; this was his first win since Wengen in 2010 and his
first Downhill win since 2008.
Miller started 12 and this unusual early start for him had him
slightly nervous in the start, he admitted afterwards. It was hard
to see this as he took to the course. Miller is one of the top
racers to watch and he was a man on a mission this time: he took an
attacking line, tucked in places he had not tucked before and when
he crossed the line to grab the lead from fellow HEAD Rebel, Johan
Clarey (who would end up placing fourth), Miller had put his all in
to the race.
With all of the top racers still to come, including winner of the
previous downhill in Lake Louise, Didier Cuche, Miller knew that “It
was just a matter of sit and wait to see if I’d done enough.”
With Miller down and a great time set, the rest
had to attack. One by one they came down and Miller’s time stood
proud. Beat Feuz almost stole the show but crossed the line 0.04
behind the HEAD racer with Klaus Kroell in third, Clarey in fourth
and Aksel Lund Svindal made it three HEAD rebels in the top five.
"I love to ski the way I did today. When I came across the finish
line I was 100% satisfied, and it's great to have it coincide with a
win," explained Miller after the race."It was tactics - being able
to commit to taking that kind of risk. It's really demanding on this
hill. You see how tight the course is. If you try to back off in any
spot, a few tenths can slip away from you and I didn't back off
anywhere. I had my foot on the gas the whole time."
With both Beta Feuz and Klaus Kroell extolling the joys of winning a
place on the podium in Beaver Creek, Miller summed up what Beaver
Creek meant to him: "If I could set up
the Birds of Prey on my own and just run it all the time I would
ditch the World Cup. It's a pleasure to do."
Sasha Reirick, head coach to the US team summed up the win for Bode:
"Our serviceman, Tschunti, did an amazing job. Bode had fast skis,
especially through the top flats. Tschunti's been doing this a long
long time and today was his first downhill win as a serviceman –
he's won in all other disciplines but not downhill, so big congrats
and great job by Head and his team."
TJ Baldwin placed 64th in his first World Cup Downhill.
Baldwin had the better training times in the two training runs and
thus got the start ahead of Dougie Crawford. Crawford who got the
start in the Downhill in Lake Louise will get to run the Super G on
Saturday.
Result:
1.
Bode Miller (USA)
2.
Beat Feuz (SUI)
3.
Klaus Kroell (AUT)
64. TJ Baldwin (GBR)
