European Report: Downhill training cancelled; Miller encouraged by slalom

European Report: Downhill training cancelled; Miller encouraged by slalom{mosimage}Despite good weather in the morning, heavy overnight snow forced the cancellation of Thursday’s men’s downhill training run at St. Anton, Austria.

Crews tried to clear snow in time for Thursday’s planned start, but officials pulled the plug after conditions were deemed too dangerous. Forecasters are calling for clear weather Friday allowing the men to hit the course at least once going into Saturday’s scheduled downhill.

>> Miller happy with slalom

Bode Miller says he’s pleased his slalom skiing has come around as of late. The World Cup contender had struggled with his slalom form until a breakthrough third-place at Chamonix last month. Since then he’s scored fourth twice and took second last weekend at Adelboden.

“After failing to get results in the first three slaloms of the season, I’ve finished four of the past five, finishing third, fourth, fourth and now second,” Miller wrote in a column in The Denver Post.

“I’ve said all year, I’ve been skiing slalom great since the very first race of the year, I just had a lot of lousy luck and some bad mistakes at the wrong times, little mistakes that ended my day,” he wrote.

With his surge, Miller has moved up to sixth in the slalom standings and the extra points have kept him contention for the overall title.

>> Austria coach likes chances

Austrian ski team coach Toni Giger is pleased with how the season has unfolded, with 11 wins on the men’s side and three of his skiers leading the overall World Cup. Coming into the homestretch of the 2003-04 season, Giger said things are looking good for the season goal of keeping the overall globe in house.

Benjamin Raich leads with 985 points to Hermann Maier’s 954 while defending champion Stephan Eberharter is still in the hunt with 881 points. Bode Miller, fourth with 852 points, is the only skier within striking distance of ruining Austria’s party.

“Raich has the advantage because he is skiing great,” Giger told Austrian radio ORF. “He’s the youngest of the skiers in contention and has the least to lose. This year is the first year he’s racing in all four disciplines and I cannot remember a skier who’s done it as well as he has. He’s doing better than we expected.”

Giger said Eberharter is more concerned with taking the downhill title than making a run for a third overall title, but he doesn’t discount his veteran champion. For Maier, Giger said the Herminator is still on the rise.

“He’s getting better in the giant slalom and I think we will see him earn some crucial big points in the coming races,” he said. “For Eberharter, he started the season slowly but I still think it’s possible for him to win the overall. He only needs to score more points in the giant slalom.”

As far as Miller is concerned, Giger said the American is the top threat. “He can finish in the top 10 of every discipline. He sometimes forces himself too much and makes mistakes,” Giger said. “He has the time now to recover himself and really focus on the final events. He’s capable of doing everything.”