Alpine

Hahnenkamm Downhill Win Eludes Miller

by
USSA
2014-01-25 06:56
 

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (Jan. 25) – Victory at the famed Hahnenkamm downhill eluded Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) yet again as the Olympic champion finished third in Kitzbuehel. Miller, who won the only training run, skied a tactically tight line for every ounce of speed but made a drastic mistake going into a flat section to drop .34 behind race winner Hannes Reichelt of Austria. It was Miller’s career third podium on the legendary track after two previous second-place finishes. Teammate Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) matched his career-best finish in seventh with Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal in second. It was the final downhill of the U.S. Olympic selection period, and official team nominations will be announced immediately following Sunday’s super combined World Cup. Universal Sports will air coverage of the downhill at 1:00 p.m. EST Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Olympic champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) was once again eluded by victory at the famed Hahnenkamm downhill, finishing third in the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup in Kitzbuehel.
  • Miller, who won the only training run, skied a tactically tight line for every ounce of speed but made a drastic mistake going into a flat section to drop .34 behind race winner Hannes Reichelt of Austria. It was Miller’s career third podium on the legendary track after two previous second-place finishes.
  • Teammate Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) matched his career-best finish in seventh with Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal in second.
  • Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) sneaked into the top 20 while Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) also finished within the points in 27th.
  • Due to warm temperatures, the traditional course was altered from its traditional finish pitch to go around the Hausberg jump and side hill traverse into the finish.
  • It was the final downhill of the U.S. Olympic selection period, and official team nominations will be announced immediately following Sunday’s super combined World Cup, which will feature a super G and slalom.
  • Universal Sports will air coverage of the downhill at 1:00 p.m. EST Saturday.

QUOTES
Bode Miller
I skied well in the top, I didn’t do anything crazy but I skied well. I carried really good speed down Alte Schneise. Off Seidlalm jump I got really good air and I knew I was going and then I just got a little high-sided. I was almost in my tuck and the ski came underneath me and got rotated and on a long turn there’s nowhere to go; you’re completely stuck on your tail going out of the course on a dead flat. That mistake is just too big of a mistake, especially right there where you’re on a flat and then a long traverse and then into the larchenschuss and it just cost me way, way too much time.

I knew it when I came across the finish line, that I’d just wasted another opportunity to win this course. It’s not even so much beating the other guys, but skiing the course the way it’s meant to be skied. That obviously is my number one goal and it’s just really tough.

I wish being fast in inspection made you fast in the race, but it doesn’t seem to work. Yeah, today I think was my day. I’ve been skiing well and I had good confidence and knew what I had to do. It’s just execution, and in downhill skiing execution is what matters. Winning training runs doesn’t do it for you. You’ve got to execute on race day. You’ve got to execute on race day. It’s too many times that I’ve made these stupid mistakes that aren’t really forced. They are not forced errors. It’s not on a tough part of the course; it’s just a real basic part. So, it’s pretty heartbreaking.

Travis Ganong
I’m really, really happy with the skiing. Last week I was sick in Wengen so I couldn’t really push hard and it’s really nice to be back and feel healthy and strong and pushing hard. I love Kitzbuehel, so it’s just nice to come to this place every year. This is the epicenter of ski racing. This is where ski racing was born. This was where the modern World Cup tour was thought of, and this is the premier event. The history here is legendary. So many people have become legends here in Kitzbuehel. The hill is amazing. It’s challenging, it’s really difficult, it gives an opportunity for people who are willing to push it to ski fast and win.

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