https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0NgddPo-5E
Attacking with the all-out style that has epitomized his career and created fans even outside of ski racing, American skier Bode Miller crashed while leading the super-G at the world alpine championships Thursday and may have knocked himself out of the remaining races here.
It may even be the moment that marks the end of his career, the greatest for an American man by almost any objective measure.
Miller hooked a gate with his left arm near the bottom of the course and spun around backward, landing hard at high speed. Television cameras later showed a close-up of a gruesome gash in his right calf, which looked deep and will certainly require stitches to close.
It’s unknown if he’ll be able to race in Saturday’s downhill or Sunday’s combined. Because of back problems that required surgery in November, Miller had not raced this season before Thursday’s race.
Hannes Reichelt of Austria claimed the gold medal and Dustin Cook of Canada the silver, 0.11 seconds behind (unofficial time). Adrien Theaux of France took bronze, 0.24 seconds back.
On a mountain where he has raced more than 40 times since 1999 in World Cup racees with four wins and seven podium appearances, Miller clearly was racing with medals in mind. Looking for the fastest and tightest line, Miller hit more than one gate before he hooked the one that took him down. He landed hard on his back and tumbled.
Miller is 37 years old and has expressed doubts about coming back next season, given the problems he has had with his back. If this is the end, he will retire with 33 World Cup wins — the most for an American man — five world championships medals (four gold) and six Olympic medals (one gold).
Miller won two World Cup overall titles, considered the greatest prize in ski racing. Phil Mahre is the only other American man to have won the overall, which he did three times (1981-83).
Defending champion Ted Ligety finished ninth and was the top American. Teammate Andrew Weibrecht, who took a silver medal in super-G at the Olympics last year when Miller claimed bronze, tied with teammate Steve Nyman in 20th. The other American in the race, Travis Ganong, missed a gate and did not finish.
