Bode Miller pulls the plug on 2009 season

By Published On: March 3rd, 2009Comments Off on Bode Miller pulls the plug on 2009 season

Bode Miller, the defending overall World Cup Champion, will not race the rest of the 2009 World Cup season.

Miller said: “I am going to take the rest of the season off. Due to a number of factors, it makes sense to call it a season.

“I came into the season excited, with my mental and physical intensity where I wanted it to be. I had speed and raced hard all season but it didn’t translate into the results we were hoping for.

“I have been racing World Cup for a while and need a break. At this time I find more happiness doing other things than being on tour.”

He stopped short of announcing a retirement.

“In terms of retirement, I have not yet  made any decisions,” he said.


Bode Miller, the defending overall World Cup Champion, will not race the rest of the 2009 World Cup season.

Miller said: “I am going to take the rest of the season off. Due to a number of factors, it makes sense to call it a season.

“I came into the season excited, with my mental and physical intensity where I wanted it to be. I had speed and raced hard all season but it didn’t translate into the results we were hoping for.

“I have been racing World Cup for a while and need a break. At this time I find more happiness doing other things than being on tour.”

He stopped short of announcing a retirement.

“In terms of retirement, I have not yet  made any decisions,” he said.

The 31-year-old Miller pulled out from the World Cup tour right after the 2009 FIS World Championships at Val d’Isère where he failed to win a single medal.

He has been recovering from a sore ankle sustained during a crash in Beaver Creek in Super-G three months ago. He did not take a break at the time preventing him from recovering enough to compete at his full potential.

Since leaving Val d’Isere he has been in San Diego, Calif., where he celebrated his daughter Dacey’s first birthday while his rivals where racing at Sestriere, in Italy.

In his blog published on the sports website Universalsports.com on February 24th, Miller explained that he was enjoying his break in warmer California and playing with his baby girl, taking her to Disneyland for her birthday.

Interestingly enough, Miller also wrote that day that he “probably wouldn’t have missed last weekend [if it] was a downhill” adding ” It was one of the first times I watched a World Cup on TV.”

The unpredictable American also often said that he could decide to stop competing from one day to the other and set himself new goals in life beside ski racing.

After splitting from the U.S. team to train and race independently three years ago, Miller still has managed to achieve a series of impressive performances during the 2007/08 season clinching his second overall title at Bormio a year ago.

This season, he was aiming for a FIS World Championship gold medal in slalom, the only one missing in his impressive collection. He also wanted to become the first U.S. male to capture the downhill World Cup title that he missed by a few points in 2005 and again last season.

He was only 35 points behind downhill standings leader Michael Walchhofer prior the two downhills planned at Kvitfjell on Friday and Saturday and was expected to be racing in Norway to fight for that title both for himself and for his suppliers.

– Patrick Lang contributed to this story

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About the Author: Pete Rugh