Alpine Skiing

Bode Miller isn't exactly where he wants to be heading into Saturday's World Cup race but says he is still fit enough to win the season's first downhill.

"I am not in the best shape for these races but I think I am strong enough to compete and win on any of these hills," Miller said.

Miller heads into this weekend's first speed races of the World Cup season after coming off one of the longest breaks in his career.

Challenging him for a spot on the podium will be Swiss star Didier Cuche, Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal and Michael Walchhofer of the mighty Austrian team which has been training since May for the new season.

Miller says he is showing no lasting effects from a crash in his season debut in Levi, Finland when he sailed off line into a gate causing the pole to whip backwards, smashing him in the face and cutting his nose.

"Fortunately I didn't break my nose," said Miller, who is hoping to get some good early results in the World Cup season to build confidence for the upcoming Vancouver Winter Games in February.

"I just want to get back to my peak physical condition then be ready to race in the Olympics," said Miller.

Miller had a disappointing 2006 Olympics in Italy where he attracted more attention for his late night partying than for his skiing. The two-time overall World Cup winner finished a disappointing fifth in the downhill and sixth in the giant slalom.

He battled injuries at the end of last season and took eight months off to ponder retirement before finally deciding to not only return to the World Cup but also rejoin the US Ski team.

Miller divorced himself from the US team two years ago after having a falling out with officials. He competed as an independent with mixed results.

"I am not prepared the way I normally am for this race this time of year but when you start when I did there is no way you would be," he said. "But everything feels good and I feel further along than what I thought I would be."

Defending men's overall World Cup champion Svindal is taking it easy in this week's training runs while he recuperates from a knee injury suffered last month.

Svindal hurt the knee while testing new skies just prior to the season opening World Cup races in Solden last month.

"Normally my goal here is to be on the podium but now I am going to just take it step by step," Svindal said. "I just need to get to the point where I feel I can trust the leg again so I can ski normally and not just go half speed."

Svindal won his second overall World Cup title last year, edging out Austrian Benjamin Raich.

He missed almost all the 2008 season after a horrific crash in Beaver Creek where he somersaulted into a fence, suffering several broken bones in his face and a 15 centimetre gash to his groin area.

Svindal said his goal this year is to stay healthy, challenge each race and compete in the Olympics which begin February 12 in the western seaboard city of Vancouver.

"I want to be fast," Svindal said. "I want to be in there for the overall be in there for the medals at the Olympics. We will see. I had a good summer it was close to being the perfect preseason."

Defending World Cup downhill champion Walchhofer is excited about the first speed races of the season. Walchhofer said he started training in May for the downhill season so he is raring to go.

"It has been a long time since we started our fitness training so I am really happy," he said. "

"My big goal is the Olympics and to catch the gold medal.

"It is also a goal of mine to win for the fourth time the World Cup downhill title so I have to be fast right from the start of the season."

The 34-year-old Austrian is coming off an outstanding downhill season where he had one victory in Val Gardena and three runner-up finishes to take the overall title.

He won the 2004 downhill in Lake Louise for one of his 11 career World Cup downhill titles.

The defending Lake Louise downhill champion Peter Fill of Italy is not competing this year after suffering an injury while training for the World Cup season.

Saturday's downhill is scheduled for 11:30 am (18:30 GMT) while Sunday's season opening Super-G is at 11:15 am.