Training runs are training runs and the results from them cannot be underestimated.

Having Didier Cuche tally the fastest time in the first training run at Beaver Creek is hardly surprising. He’s a veteran’s veteran with over 300 downhills runs (including training) over his career. He knows what to expect.

At Beaver Creek the racers generally expect the best possible conditions. This season – barring weather caused changes – the course is in the best condition it may ever have been.

While the course invited attack, training is not where that tactic is usually applied, particularly not on the first day. The risk taking comes out later in the week, when it counts. No sense in getting injured in practice.

Cuche was clocked in 1:47.80, well off any of the times he has recorded on race day over his 12 World Cup downhills. Frenchman Adrien Theaux was the second fastest skier on the day and Lake Louise winner Michael Walchhofer was third.

Walchhofer led a string of Austrians who finished in the three through six slots. Canadian Erik Guay posted seventh and American Bode Miller eighth.

Universally the racers called the course “smooth” and the surface “perfect,” hard, but grippy. “You could do whatever you wanted to so,” said tour newcomer Travis Ganong after finishing a very respectable 24th.

If the conditions don’t deteriorate and the talented Talon Crew – as the volunteer force is called – keeps doing what they do, we can expect some truly spectacular skiing when racing gets underway Friday.

Gepa image of Cuche inspecting Birds of Prey