Ligety, Miller 1-2 in Beav GS

By Published On: December 8th, 2013Comments Off on Ligety, Miller 1-2 in Beav GS
SKI ALPIN - FIS WC Beaver Creek, Super G, Herren

Bode Miller in the finish between runs. (GEPA/Christian Walgram)

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — The final race at Beaver Creek in 2013 transcends imagination. It was a complete contrast in styles producing an historic one-two finish for the host, an American triumph with the greatest GS skier of the current era, Ted Ligety, getting challenged by the greatest male skier in American history, Bode Miller. In third was the best skier in the world the last two seasons, Austrian Marcel Hirscher, who said, “The U.S. boys are that fast and the rest of the world the only thing we can do is say, ‘Oh my god, they are so good. That’s the only thing we can do.’”

Hirscher had a lead over the rest of the field by more than a second, but Ligety ultimately won by 1.32 seconds over Miller who was a half-second ahead of Hirscher.

That stuff just doesn’t happen. It was the first American 1-2 finish since 2005, ironically also at Beaver Creek when Daron Rahlves won the downhill and Bode Miller was second. It’s not a common event, a fact hardly lost on a cold crowd that roared with every split time displayed during both of Miller’s and Ligety’s second runs. It was also the fourth consecutive World Cup GS win for Ligety, something not accomplished since Alberto Tomba.

For Ligety, the win was all but expected. He is, after all, Mr. GS. But for Bode, returning from a year off to rehabilitate a knee that has bothered him for years, the first few weeks of the tour had produced no result better than 13th. He’s 36 years old, he hadn’t won a GS in eight years and he had a terrible start number, 31st, on a day when eight inches of snow had to be scraped off the course before the race could begin.

But his vast popularity had never waned. In the opening run Ligety had scorched a run so fast (in bib six) it really wasn’t threatened at all, characteristically arcing his way systematically down the tough Birds of Prey/Golden Eagle course. But Bode, with a style considerably rougher than Ligety came closest, (1.1o seconds) drawing a huge roar from the audience and generating a lot of hugging and laughter among U.S. officials, coaches, techs and media.

The second heat was all but anticlimactic. The two Americans had spent much of the time between runs together (they used the spin bikes in the same room) and talked, but not about the race. Looks like there could be a healthy rivalry in the making here. There was a genuine hug in the finish with wide smiles on both sides. Bode went so far as to suggest the two both knew after the first run they had it locked.

“It’s always a little tough with a two run event,” Miller said, “because after the first run I felt like I’d already won, and people were already congratulating me. My daughter was like ‘You got second place,’ and Ted was like ‘Not yet.’ And that’s the challenge of ski racing.

“I took maybe a little too much risk and made some mistakes, but I really wanted to ski 100 percent and that’s why I did the work I did in the summer. To beat someone like Ted, that’s what you have to do you have to go absolutely 100 percent from top to bottom with no mistakes and no fatigue.”

Miller said he’s closing in on regaining the form required to get back on the top step of the podium,

“There’s little tiny pieces that are missing,” he said. “I haven’t had much time on the new equipment. I’m on all new skis in all four events. I feel like I’m ready and I think today shows that it’s close.”

Ligety said there’s too many variables in ski racing to feel over confident after the first run of a two run race. But he was sure glad to have another American on the podium with him. “To share the podium with Bode is awesome. I’m a little surprised actually — he probably doesn’t like it — but it’s impressive how he’s able to bring his intensity up and put down some impressive runs.”

 

The Scoop

Men’s World Cup giant slalom at Beaver Creek, USA, Dec. 8, 2013

Equipment – Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Ligety, Head/Head/Head

2 Miller, Head/Head/Head

3 Hirscher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

4 Faivre, Head/Head/Head

5 Pinturault, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

6 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

7 Neureuther, Nordica/Nordica/Marker

8 Haugen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

9 Luitz, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

10 Nani, Voelkl/Fischer/Marker

Men’s World Cup Giant Slalom, Beaver Creek, USA. … Dec. 8, 2013. … It is the seventh of 34 races on the men’s 2013-4 World Cup schedule. … It is the second of eight scheduled giant slaloms. … It is the 56th World Cup race held at Beaver Creek and the sixth this season. … It is the 13th World Cup GS held at Beaver Creek. Ted Ligety has won three of the last four GS’s at the site.

It is the 19th career World Cup victory for Ted Ligety, all of them in GS. … He has won four consecutive cup GS races. … and nine of the last 12, plus the World Championship. … It is the 263rd US win. … Ligety moves past Tamara McKinney to become the fourth winningest U.S. competitor in World Cup history. … He is fourth all time (third among men) for GS wins.

It is the 76th career World Cup podium result for Bode Miller. his first since Dec. 16, 2011 when he was second in SG at Val Gardena. … It is his first podium in GS since March 17, 2007 when he was third at Lenzerheide.

It is the 48th career World Cup podium for Marcel Hirscher. … It is his 12th straight podium result in slalom and/or GS. …

Canadian Trevor Philp scored his first World Cup point.

Aksel Lund Svindal (11th in race) maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 360-269 over Ligety. … Hirscher is third with 235pts. … Ligety leads the GS standings with a perfect 200pts over Alexis Pinturault (fifth in race) 200-125. … Hirscher is third with 120pts. … Miller is fourth. …

Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup 1268-757 over france. … Italy is third with 681pt. … The US is sixth with 508 and Canada seventh with 250pts.

 

Results — Men’s GS, Beaver Creek

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
 1  6  534562 LIGETY Ted 1984 USA  1:19.83  1:15.94  2:35.77  0.00
 2  31  532431 MILLER Bode 1977 USA  1:20.93  1:16.16  2:37.09  7.54
 3  3  53831 HIRSCHER Marcel 1989 AUT  1:21.09  1:16.50  2:37.59  10.40
 4  21  194495 FAIVRE Mathieu 1992 FRA  1:22.05  1:16.56  2:38.61  16.23
 5  5  194364 PINTURAULT Alexis 1991 FRA  1:21.17  1:17.54  2:38.71  16.80
 6  68  511313 JANKA Carlo 1986 SUI  1:22.35  1:16.43  2:38.78  17.20
 7  11  201702 NEUREUTHER Felix 1984 GER  1:22.45  1:16.37  2:38.82  17.43
 8  23  421669 HAUGEN Leif Kristian 1987 NOR  1:21.74  1:17.09  2:38.83  17.48
 9  20  202437 LUITZ Stefan 1992 GER  1:22.32  1:16.66  2:38.98  18.34
 10  28  294890 NANI Roberto 1988 ITA  1:22.59  1:16.41  2:39.00  18.45
 11  7  421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund 1982 NOR  1:22.40  1:16.63  2:39.03  18.63
 12  14  51007 SCHOERGHOFER Philipp 1983 AUT  1:22.01  1:17.14  2:39.15  19.31
 13  19  191423 RICHARD Cyprien 1979 FRA  1:22.27  1:16.90  2:39.17  19.43
 14  4  191750 FANARA Thomas 1981 FRA  1:21.47  1:17.72  2:39.19  19.54
 15  8  50625 RAICH Benjamin 1978 AUT  1:22.59  1:16.91  2:39.50  21.31
 16  15  202462 DOPFER Fritz 1987 GER  1:22.82  1:16.93  2:39.75  22.74
 17  24  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil 1985 NOR  1:22.66  1:17.13  2:39.79  22.97
 18  36  511718 PLEISCH Manuel 1990 SUI  1:22.43  1:17.41  2:39.84  23.25
 19  51  293550 MARSAGLIA Matteo 1985 ITA  1:22.57  1:17.28  2:39.85  23.31
 20  2  180534 SANDELL Marcus 1987 FIN  1:22.45  1:17.47  2:39.92  23.71
 21  22  292967 EISATH Florian 1984 ITA  1:22.95  1:17.03  2:39.98  24.05
 22  26  501017 MYHRER Andre 1983 SWE  1:22.64  1:17.35  2:39.99  24.11
 23  35  193967 MUFFAT-JEANDET Victor 1989 FRA  1:22.59  1:17.46  2:40.05  24.45
 24  25  501324 OLSSON Matts 1988 SWE  1:22.54  1:17.67  2:40.21  25.37
 25  40  150398 BANK Ondrej 1980 CZE  1:22.88  1:17.49  2:40.37  26.28
 26  10  292120 SIMONCELLI Davide 1979 ITA  1:23.02  1:17.39  2:40.41  26.51
 27  9  292000 BLARDONE Massimiliano 1979 ITA  1:22.76  1:17.79  2:40.55  27.31
 28  1  292491 MOELGG Manfred 1982 ITA  1:22.47  1:18.35  2:40.82  28.85
 29  34  511638 TUMLER Thomas 1989 SUI  1:22.42  1:18.65  2:41.07  30.28
 30  53  103865 PHILP Trevor 1992 CAN  1:22.62  1:18.74  2:41.36  31.94
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 69  192746 THEAUX Adrien 1984 FRA
 67  60236 VAN DEN BROECKE Dries 1995 BEL
 63  561217 KOSI Klemen 1991 SLO
 62  511513 CAVIEZEL Mauro 1988 SUI
 61  302564 SATO Sho 1986 JPN
 60  30149 SIMARI BIRKNER Cristian Javier 1980 ARG
 58  103762 WERRY Tyler 1991 CAN
 56  53980 KRIECHMAYR Vincent 1991 AUT
 54  100558 COOK Dustin 1989 CAN
 52  990048 BORSOTTI Giovanni 1990 ITA
 50  422139 KILDE Aleksander Aamodt 1992 NOR
 49  481148 MAYTAKOV Sergei 1990 RUS
 48  103078 DONALDSON David 1986 CAN
 47  51215 BAUMANN Romed 1986 AUT
 46  700830 ZAMPA Adam 1990 SVK
 45  930160 KELLEY Robby 1990 USA
 44  511852 CAVIEZEL Gino 1992 SUI
 43  192653 FREY Thomas 1984 FRA
 41  103676 BROWN Philip 1991 CAN
 39  990116 DE ALIPRANDINI Luca 1990 ITA
 38  481006 ZUEV Stepan 1988 RUS
 37  534038 NICKERSON Warner 1981 USA
 32  934568 RUBIE Brennan 1991 USA
 29  191746 DE TESSIERES Gauthier 1981 FRA
 27  534959 JITLOFF Tim 1985 USA
 18  510727 DEFAGO Didier 1977 SUI
 17  53985 MATHIS Marcel 1991 AUT
 16  50742 REICHELT Hannes 1980 AUT
 13  380260 KOSTELIC Ivica 1979 CRO
 12  192506 MISSILLIER Steve 1984 FRA
Did not finish 1st run
 70  670058 KOSHKIN Dmitriy 1986 KAZ
 66  40553 CHEVALIER Luc Henri 1992 AUS
 65  110320 CLARO Eugenio 1993 CHI
 64  53902 MAYER Matthias 1990 AUT
 59  501439 HEDIN Douglas 1990 SWE
 57  410266 GRIFFIN Benjamin 1986 NZL
 55  510997 BERTHOD Marc 1983 SUI
 42  511741 ZURBRIGGEN Elia 1990 SUI
 33  180627 MALMSTROM Victor 1991 FIN
 30  192504 MERMILLOD BLONDIN Thomas 1984 FRA

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About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”