Chamonix – Miller back in business!

After several weeks of disappointing races, Bode Miller finally achieved a superb comeback at the top of the standings in Chamonix where he finished 3rd in the slalom. The US American also won the legendary Arlberg- Kandahar combined by only 3/100 of a second ahead of Austria’s Benjamin Raich. It was his first slalom points since Yong Pyong, in Korea, six weeks later.

Incredibly enough, the skier from Franconia even crashed while crossing the finish line in that slalom as he was pushing himself very hard out of the final gate! It’s his third victory this winter after his two triumphs in GS last year.

These excellent results propelled him up to 4th place in the overall standings, less than hundred points behind Norway’s Lasse Kjus. It was his best result since being 2nd in Bormio last year. He was delighted by his performances which save his chances for the overall World Cup victory.
“It was by far my best slalom skiing since my last victory in Schladming two years ago – I could really attack the way I wished and my skis went exactly where I wanted them to go,” he said afterwards.
“It wasn't exactly where I wanted to be in that slalom – I wanted to win,” Miller also said, “but it's close enough. I was fighting hard in that second run – I was attacking in the first run, too, but a couple of spots were a little sketchy so I didn't ski so well in the rain. But in the second run, there was definitely some urgency there for me. It was pouring rain, the conditions were soft and chunky, and the visibility was tough, too, because the rain stuck to your goggles all the time,” Bode added while hundreds of fan shouted at him to get an autograph from him. Only the French skiers got stronger support from the huge crowd attending the race.
“It's just been frustrating because I've said over and over - it's not necessarily when you take risks that you make mistakes. In Madonna, I was holding back a lot and blew out. In Flachau, I was skiing not conservatively but I was conservative on a couple of gates and still blew out. It's hard to know it's not necessarily tactical – it all comes down to execution. It doesn't matter if you're taking a risk. I don’t judge myself by the results but more by my feelings. I’m happy the same if I feel that I’m skiing well”.
“I’m really proud and happy to have clinched my first World Cup combined after struggling so much in yesterday’s downhill race. It was a big race here with great crowd. A lot of people showed up despite the rain”.
“I was lucky not to injure myself more seriously when I almost crashed near the finish line in the downhill. My chin hit my knee and I chipped some teeth. I could have been knocked-out! I had problems to properly see the course afterwards and I was happy to make it safely”.

“It’s amazing that I finally won the combined by only 3/100 of a second – I could have lost it ten times! It means a lot to because you have to fight very hard over three runs to win a combined. It’s not a big deal to be 5th or 6th but to win it you have to be pretty good in both specialties, especially when you ski again strong skiers as Lasse Kjus or Benny Raich”.
“I needed such a result to bounce back after my disappointing results and get back in the race for the World Cup. I know that a lot of people believe I should focus on the technical events but I was convinced of my form in all specialties. I have been very unfortunate in many occasions, like Beaver Creek or Flachau. Normally I could have been far ahead in the standings with more luck in many races. The two or three-event favourites as Maier, Eberharter, Kjus, Raich or Knauss can’t hope to go beyond 1,500 points now. Only a super-champion as Hermann Maier winning tons of races could score 2,000 points four years ago.”
“If I achieve a good season with normal results in all disciplines, I can pass this limit. It’s as simple as this. But I also want to continue in all specialties because I strongly believe to have the potential to get on the podium with a good run. Just look where I would be if I would have made it to the finish line in Beaver Creek in the first downhill. But I was more upset after the Super-G because I was informed too late that the intervals have been changed to one minute instead of two. I came very late at the start and I could not prepare myself mentally well enough. That’s why I skied out pretty soon after the start.”
In Wengen, Miller should take part in all three competitions. “I like the downhill a lot, it’s very nice and I did well there last year. Each point can count you know! With fast skis, I can enter among the top-10. I’ll see how things are going then I make my final decision. Slalom and GS are my priorities, but I proved today that my slalom form was not affected by my downhill this week”.