Sochi Olympics: Bode Miller wins another race that doesn’t count

SOCHI, Russia -- Two days after finishing eighth in the Olympic men’s downhill he desperately wanted to win, Bode Miller won another downhill training run.

This first-place finish came Tuesday in training for Friday’s super combined, in which Miller will be defending his Olympic title.

If you’re counting at home, Miller has won three of four downhill training runs at Rosa Khutor but finished out of a medal in the only race that mattered.

He won Tuesday’s practice race with a time of 1:56.42 and then, once again, was asked what happened in the “real” downhill.

“It was a big letdown,” Miller said. ”It was my main focus this year. I skied well. Everybody tried to answer why it didn’t go better. You can always guess about what decisions we made.”

Miller’s finish is still a mystery given the way he’s dominated the course since arriving in Sochi.

“I skied as hard as I could and as hard as I would,” Miller said. “I could have taken more risks but I could have also taken less risks. We all came to the same conclusions that it was combination of things.”

Miller has four remaining events in Sochi, although he’s probably only a serious contender in the super combined and super giant slalom.

Miller has five Olympic medals, more than any other American in alpine.

ALSO:

Photos: Faces of the Olympic Games

Plushenko puts pain aside, will compete in figure skating

Jeremy Abbott leaves Olympic Village to regain his focus