On the outside looking in, independent Wiley Maple still hopes for a solid season. Maple, 34, has yet to find a smooth path at Beaver Creek, but hope springs eternal. On Thursday, the zipper on his speed suit broke at the race start, a distraction that probably contributed to what he called a “bumpier than expected” course. In 2022, just before Birds of Prey, a broken hand and a dislocated elbow the following year sidelined Maple.