Olympics story by Boris Webb, Thu, 16 Feb 2006 03:16:00 GMT


SESTRIERE, Italy - Bode Miller's inability to do justice to his star-studded status continued in Turin as he slipped to another loss in the three-run event (one downhill, two slalom) yesterday. Little-known Ted Ligety of the United States emerged as the surprise gold medallist in this event.

Miller performed with quiet intensity for much of yesterday's event and his brilliant performance in downhill conjured visions of a grand triumph. But these premature thoughts were abruptly erased after he was disqualified straddling a gate.

"I came down and the run felt fine," Miller said. "I had no idea I had straddled. I was in the recovery room, already getting ready for the second run when I heard it on the radio and I looked at the replay. To me it was clear, so there was no reason to protest it." Miller joked that he was happy he would not have to travel 60 miles to pick up a medal. His loss was 21-year-old Ligety's gain though he isn't going to town with it.

"I came into the Olympics confident and thinking that I'd ski aggressively. Honestly, I didn't feel like I skied very well in the first slalom run. But I looked up and saw I was in fourth place, and that made me psyched," he said of his surprise win. "I wasn't going to gamble or take any stupid risks on the second run, but I was definitely going for it. That's the way I ski."

He added that he did not feel a worthy winner after what happened to Miller and Benjamin Raich of Austria, "I want to win races when everybody skis to the bottom of the hill and see if I can get there faster. It's great to be where I am, but it's unexpected, that's for sure," he stressed.

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