Bode Miller, who had back surgery in November, training Thursday in Kitzbuehel, Austria, in hope of making it back for world championships in Beaver Creek in two weeks. Getty Photo
Bode Miller had an impressive result Thursday in his attempted comeback from back surgery, finishing sixth in a World Cup downhill training run at Kitzbuehel, Austria. He was 45th there in a training run on Tuesday.
Miller trained last week at Wengen, Switzerland, but decided not to race because his back didn’t feel ready. He sounded encouraged after Thursday’s run on the classic Streif course, the most difficult and dangerous downhill in the world.
“It felt better,” Miller told media in the finish area. “I was happy with it today. This is one of the steps that I was hoping to make. I still don’t think it’s ready to race, but it’s making good progress for when I do race.”
Miller hasn’t raced since last March, but he hopes to race downhill and super-G at the world alpine championships in Beaver Creek, Feb. 2-15. Given that he is 37, it’s very possible he will end his remarkable career there if he races, but every moment of every run is a test for his back.
“If everything goes well and I don’t make big mistakes, then I’m probably OK,” Miller said. “But if I go off a jump a little bit wrong, normally I make a recovery but my back when I get out of position a little bit, (if) it’s a little bit exposed or weak, then the risk is so high of a serious injury. I think I’m close.
“Beaver Creek is a less challenging hill that way, it gives you more leeway to make recoveries. It looks good for that, but I have to make sure I don’t have any setbacks. If I can keep making positive steps, I’ll be fine.”
