Alpine Skiing: Miller Time May Be Coming to Close

Bode Miller hasn't raced all season and is questionable for the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships but the American veteran is ready to go if his number is called.

The 37-year-old Miller is the oldest member of the American ski racing team and this is his eighth World Championships.

He is hoping to get in one, maybe two races during the biennial championships which are back on U.S. soil for the first time since 1999.

"I feel comfortable to race the downhill and super-G," Miller said Monday at the base of the Birds of Prey men's downhill course. "I did some slalom training and it was pretty horrible, but super combined is another possibility."

But Miller, who hasn't raced this season because of nagging back problems, knows that it is not his call. That decision will be made by the coaches who must decide which ski racer has the best chance of claiming a medal.

"I don’t have the last word on it," Miller said.

"My preparations have been as good as they could. I had some pretty aggressive skiing in Europe even though I didn’t take part in the races, it was the last step I needed before coming here. I feel comfortable."

First up for the men is Wednesday's super-G race. There is a training run Tuesday which will help determine who qualifies.

"I am going to try to win the race, if I am lucky enough to come down," he said.

That's Bode Miller talking. He rarely speaks and when he does you never know what is going to come out of his mouth.

But Miller remains the biggest question mark on the American team and even USA team director Patrick Riml said they are not expecting a lot from him.

"Bode is coming back and we will see how he is once we get there. But everyone else is skiing on a very high level," Riml said.

Miller said he can live with the next day race pain as long as the results are still there.

"When I ski I don’t feel restricted," he said. "After an aggressive super-G, I feel sore, but it is soreness I had pretty much all my career.

"There is no real physical limitation coming here for the race."