Come back Bode

Overall champion Bode Miller missed his first World Cup race in four seasons on Saturday when he skipped the Kandahar downhill, although the mercurial American was still on everyone's mind. "We do miss him," said Austrian Andreas Buder, who took third pla

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Image credit: TNT Sports

"He's an important person in the World Cup tour and he brings a fresh spirit to it, even if some of his comments aren't always appreciated by everyone," added Buder. "He's good for skiing and he was certainly missed here today."

The straight-talking Miller, who delights the crowds with his hard-charging style, had 136 consecutive World Cup starts behind him before pulling out of Garmisch on Wednesday.

A U.S. team spokesman said the break was part of a long-planned strategy to allow Miller to concentrate on training for the Turin Olympics, which open on Feb. 10.

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Several media have reported Miller was playing golf with his brother Chelone in a warm climate somewhere away from Europe.

Miller won two silver medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and last March the New Hampshire native became the first America in 22 years to win the overall World Cup.

But he has struggled this season, winning just one race, and is a distant fourth in the overall standings behind Austria's Benjamin Raich..

The 28-year-old with the permanent three-day beard has also had a difficult season away from the slopes.

Miller rankled his coaches recently by saying on television in the United States that partying meant he had sometimes been "in really tough shape" at races. He later apologised.

Miller's name was in the air in Garmisch as well after a controversial interview was published in Rolling Stone magazine. Among other things, Miller hinted he may retire after this season.

Miller is a big favourite not only on the slopes here but also in the nightclubs of the small Bavarian resort town.

"We all missed Bode Miller at 'Peaches' last night," the public address announcer told the crowd of 12,000 on Saturday.

"We had a great time partying with him until the early hours of the morning before last year's race."

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