Bormio: Cuche says DH course was too soft to race

Didier Cuche understands why Bode Miller is upset, yet the Swiss skier believes race organizers made the correct choice in calling off the season's final downhill.
    Miller complained that organizers didn't make enough of an attempt to get the race in and implied that the decision was taken to deny him a chance at two titles.
    The cancellation handed the World Cup downhill title to Cuche, who beat Miller by five points, and may have also affected the overall race, which Miller leads.
    ''I wasn't on the race hill yesterday but I was today and it was way too soft,'' Cuche said Wednesday. ''Yesterday I came down the side of the hill and I had to slide down. You couldn't make any turns. If you make one turn with two or three G's it's not possible to race, you fall down.''
    In the meantime, Cuche — who leads the super G standings heading into Thursday's final race —  is searching for his helmet, which was stolen at Wednesday's award ceremony for his downhill title.
    "I'm offering €2,000 ($3,000) for whoever stole it to bring it back,'' Cuche said. ''I have two, so I've got one for tomorrow, but that was my favorite helmet.''

BORMIO, Italy — Didier Cuche understands why Bode Miller is upset, yet the Swiss skier believes race organizers made the correct choice in calling off the season's final downhill.
    Miller complained that organizers didn't make enough of an attempt to get the race in and implied that the decision was taken to deny him a chance at two titles.
    The cancellation handed the World Cup downhill title to Cuche, who beat Miller by five points, and may have also affected the overall race, which Miller leads.
    ''I wasn't on the race hill yesterday but I was today and it was way too soft,'' Cuche said Wednesday. ''Yesterday I came down the side of the hill and I had to slide down. You couldn't make any turns. If you make one turn with two or three G's it's not possible to race, you fall down.''
    The downhill was scheduled for Wednesday, but was canceled after organizers could not get training off on Tuesday following overnight snow and foggy conditions on the Stelvio course.
    After it stopped snowing early Tuesday, skies turned perfectly clear and sunny by midmorning, although warm temperatures made the course soft and slushy.
    World Cup rules require at least one training session before a downhill.
    Miller said organizers could have attempted to get the training in later in the day, shortened the course, or changed the program by canceling Sunday's team event.
    Cuche has never won a race in Bormio, while Miller won the downhill in December, and also swept the speed events on the Stelvio course at the 2005 World Championships.
    ''I would have the same reaction,'' Cuche said. ''He had a really good chance because he skied well in December here. Maybe it's not the best way to win the cup. I'm the lucky one in this story.''
    Miller holds a 169-point lead over of Cuche in the overall standings, with Benjamin Raich 264 points behind.
    ''I'm not really focused on the big globe. I'm focused on the super G tomorrow,'' Cuche said. ''I have 3½ disciplines and Bode has five. Bode has 410 points in combined and I have 46. That made the big difference. I have to continue working on my slalom.''
    In the meantime, Cuche is searching for his helmet, which was stolen at Wednesday's award ceremony for his downhill title.
    "I'm offering €2,000 ($3,000) for whoever stole it to bring it back,'' Cuche said. ''I have two, so I've got one for tomorrow, but that was my favorite helmet.''
    At 33, Cuche is one of the oldest skiers on the circuit. His first World Cup race came in Bormio in 1993.
    "I started No. 50 or something. I lost six seconds in the [first] training, six seconds in the second training and six seconds in the race,'' Cuche said. ''It's funny how things can change. I had my first race here and was really scared and now I get the title here in Bormio, without even racing. Crazy.''