There's a storybook quality to Bode Miller's life - born at home in New Hampshire's White Mountains, educated at home until the fourth grade, grew up in a self-styled "hippie cabin" with no electricity or running water, off to a ski academy by the time he was a teenager because, in large part, he liked skiing's development ladder vs. snowboarding's decided lack of structure...and on to Olympic medalist, world champion, World Cup champion. Miller's tenacity, talent and singular racing style - called "a little bit goofy, but it works for him" by a former teammate - has lifted him to the top of ski racing's world.

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Make that four consecutive winters in which Miller has produced "The best season since Phil Mahre in '83" for an American man. He started in record-breaking fashion, winning the first three races of Winter '05, won an eye-popping one in each of the four main disciplines (not combined) within 16 days and - after winning the downhill and super G at Worlds in Bormio - erupted at World Cup Finals to hold off Austrian Benni Raich for the overall title. (He's the first U.S. man to win a downhill world title, and the super G gold medal, too). He also is the first skier to compete in every World Cup race in a season for three straight seasons; Miller comes into the Olympic winter with 114 consecutive World Cup starts (last race missed: DH at World Cup Finals March 6, 2002 in Altenmarkt, Austria).

Thanks to www.usskiteam.com