Stunning Finish Bodes Well for U.S. Fortunes

In 17th place and trailing the field by 2.95 seconds after a windy and fog-shrouded downhill run Thursday, Bode Miller knew there was only one way to make up time in the slalom portion of the men’s combined event at the Alpine world championships.

“Once it was three seconds out, all tactics go out the window,” he said. “Every risk possible, I took.”

His gambles paid off with a victory, putting him on the podium for the second time at the world championships and giving U.S. skiers an unprecedented three-race medal-winning streak at the world competition.

Miller, second in the men’s super-giant slalom Sunday, cut his deficit to 1.35 seconds Thursday with his first slalom run and stunned himself by taking the lead after his final run. He fell to his knees in the snow of St. Moritz, Switzerland, overcome by emotion when he realized he had won his first career gold medal at the world championships and the fourth medal for U.S. skiers at this event. Kirsten Clark and Jonna Mendes won silver and bronze, respectively, in the women’s super-G Monday.

But it was left to Miller, who tore ligaments in his left knee during the downhill portion of the combined event at the 2001 world championships and rebounded to win silver in the combined at the Salt Lake City Olympics, to make history. He became the first U.S. man to win the combined gold medal at the world championships since Billy Kidd in 1970 at Val Gardena, Italy. Phil Mahre won combined gold at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, the last time the Olympics counted as the world championships.

“It was amazing. It was just a classic day,” said Miller, whose combined time of 3 minutes 18.41 seconds was a blink ahead of Norwegian Lasse Kjus’ 3:18.48 and Norwegian Olympic gold medalist Kjetil Andre Aamodt’s 3:18.54. “Today, if I’d gotten silver or bronze, which I assumed I had, I would have still been unbelievably happy because I left it all out there....

“When I was alone there, I was just thinking about what a battle it had been and how good it felt to be done. Emotionally, physically and mentally it’s abusive all day. It’s so long, and you have ups and downs all day. You have adrenaline rushes and depressing realizations. It doesn’t get any harder than this.”

Miller, of Franconia, N.H., said his triumph was overwhelming because he greatly respects Kjus and Aamodt. Aamodt has won seven Olympic medals and Kjus has won six.

“That’s the part that made it really cool, the guys I shared the podium with,” Miller said during a conference call with reporters. “At both events I’ve been on the podium, I’ve been there with the champions of the sport.”

Miller tied for second in the super-G with the legendary Hermann Maier, behind World Cup leader Stephan Eberharter of Austria.

Although he said he’s comfortable on his skis in the cold after facing warm weather most of the season, Miller isn’t sure if he will compete in Saturday’s downhill. He will decide after a training run today.

“I definitely feel I have the potential to medal, or even to win,” he said. “It’s just a matter of putting a whole game plan together.”

The game plan for the U.S. has been surprisingly successful. “Today was such a cool day, because Bode won,” said Mendes, of Heavenly, Calif., near Lake Tahoe. “This whole experience has been incredible for us. We knew we could do a lot better than we did last year at the Olympics, but Bode doing so well has pushed everybody to a higher level.”

Mendes is among the favorites in Sunday’s women’s downhill, in which she ranks ninth on the World Cup circuit. Her training runs haven’t been great, typical for her.

“All the time I’ve raced in the World Cup, I’ve never had good training runs, so I’m not worried,” said Mendes, who was born in Santa Cruz but moved to Heavenly with her family when she was 3. “Something in my mind knows it’s not a real race. But this is totally better than the other way, to train well and race badly.”

Mendes said a solid summer’s preparation has given her confidence. “Kirsten Clark has a few World Cup podiums, and so does Caroline Lalive, and I knew if I could stay with them, a podium was on its way,” she said. “When I came to the world championships I had an eighth in super-G and fifth in downhill [as season bests] and I wanted to better either one. If I could get better than fifth in the downhill, that would be great. A podium finish would be awesome.”

Said Miller: “On our team, we’re all just fired up. We’re all just maturing. I made the team around the same time as Jonna and Kirsten, and it takes time. It’s a matter of knowing how to compete in these races and not worrying about taking risks. Once you get that feeling on the team, it’s great.”

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NBC will replay Miller’s triumph Saturday. Its telecast from 1-3 p.m. will also include same-day coverage of the men’s downhill. On Sunday, from 10 a.m.-noon, it will show same-day coverage of the women’s downhill plus replays of Miller’s super-G silver medal and the women’s super-G event.