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 "I'm ready. My skiing in general is pretty solid. It was the idea
to keep getting stronger and come to the Olympics ready to win in
every race," said the 36-year-old World Cup veteran, who will be
competing at his fifth Winter Games in Russia.
Miller, who missed the entire 2012-13 season to treat lingering knee
problems, has staged a highly successful comeback campaign, standing
on the podium three times in three different events.
One of the most versatile talents of his generation, he has already
collected five medals, including one gold, since his Olympic debut
in Nagano in 1998 and will defend his super-combined crown in Rosa
Khutor at the February 7-23 Games.
The once maverick poster boy of alpine skiing has now matured and
can claim to be the only skier of such high profile to have taken
part in that many Games.
"It seems like a long time ago. It goes by very quickly," he said of
his Olympic debut in 1998.
"I wasn't thinking much beyond that day. When you're so young you
have infinite possibilities ahead of you. Some 400 races or so
later, I'm a very different person now," he added.
Miller has already competed in all five alpine skiing disciplines at
the Olympics and will enter at least four in Sochi, with the slalom
likely to make way having been a weak event in recent seasons. "Slalom is still a mystery, but that's the way slalom is," he said.
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His most successful Games came in Vancouver four years ago where he
claimed three medals but experience has taught Miller not to have
any special expectations.
"We'll have to see. It's different each time you go. It depends on
what you bring to the Olympics and what the Olympics is on its own.
Every time you go, it's a unique event," he said.
"The hill looks great and there have been concerns about the snow
but they have snow. The course suits me well, it's long, a bit like
Wengen (in Switzerland) maybe. It's gonna be a matter of how the
conditions hold up but I'm ready," he said.
Miller's most recent performances were far from encouraging,
however, as he failed to finish his last three races, but the
American insisted weather conditions were to blame rather than his
form.
"The World Cup has been a mess this year I hope the Olympics bring
something new in regards to the conditions," he said.
(Editing by John O'Brien)
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