After Olympic defeats, Bode Miller to skip World Cup's Asian tour

After Olympic defeats, Bode Miller to skip World Cup’s Asian tour{mosimage}Bode Miller, who won no medals at the Olympic Winter Games, also doesn’t care about the World Cup title. The New Hampshire skier will skip the next four races in Asia, conceding defeat in the overall World Cup standings.

The decision means that the men’s title will go to an Austrian, either Benjamin Raich or Michael Walchhofer, who have 1,065 and 820 points, respectively (Miller has 748).

U.S. Ski Team men’s head coach Phil McNichol confirmed Saturday night that Miller would not travel to the next men’s races in South Korea and Japan.

“I wish I knew,” said McNichol, asked what Miller’s plans for the next two weeks would be.

The men’s World Cup has two giant slaloms in Yongpyong, South Korea on March 4 and 5, followed by two slaloms at Shiga Kogen, Japan, March 10 and 11.

McNichol said he expected Daron Rahlves, who is home in California, will travel to the giant slaloms.

McNichol said Miller will probably return for World Cup Finals. Last year Miller became the first American to win the overall World Cup in 22 years, but never stated a desire to defend the title.

Miller did not win any medals at the Olympic Winter Games, and his public image took a big hit at Sestriere, where he seemed to encourage the perception that he was more interested in nightlife than results.

Even the devoted creators of Bodelicious.net seem to have turned on Miller. The fan Web site, populated by teenage girls, has celebrated Miller’s smallest triumphs and defended him in his darkest hours.

Last week, after photographs surfaced showing Miller with a Playboy model in a Sestriere nightclub, a young woman named Anais posted a disapproving message there.

‘He has to choose’ wrote Anais. ‘Being professional or drink and kissing UGLY BLONDE all nights!’