No Bode: U.S. team is doing fine with Ligety, Nyman, et.al.

ALTA BADIA, Italy — The U.S. men's ski team is doing just fine without its former star.

Bode Miller's bio no longer appears on the team's Web site, but there are plenty of other skiers still listed and they are performing just as well, if not better, than their former teammate.

Miller broke away from the U.S. squad this season to train and race on his own. In his absence, four other men have recorded top-three finishes and Park City's Ted Ligety is sitting fourth in the men's overall World Cup standings, three positions ahead of Miller.

"Usually it takes some time to rebuild, but right now the guys are in great shape," men's head coach Phil McNichol said.

Marco Sullivan started things off by finishing second in the downhill in Lake Louise, Alberta, for his best career result. Steven Nyman followed that up with a runner-up finish at the team's home downhill in Beaver Creek, Colo. Last weekend, Scott Macartney earned his best result in nearly two years by placing third in the downhill classic in Val Gardena.

"It's always nice when your top guys stumble to have someone else jump in like Scottie in Val Gardena," McNichol said.

Ligety leads the team with three top-three finishes: two in giant slalom to top the discipline standings and one in slalom here Monday.

"We're not normally known for our depth and it's cool to see so many different guys on the podium," said Ligety, the Olympic combined champion.

Miller's only podium finish was second in a super-G in Val Gardena.

"We miss him quite a bit but it's allowed us to get closer as a team and take care of the guys that want to be here," McNichol said. "The staff in particular has come together more, too."

In recent seasons, McNichol appeared worn out at times and even on the verge of retirement after endless confrontations with Miller over team rules.

"It was emotional for me because I invested a lot of time in Bode," McNichol said. "But at the end of the day I respect his decision. He has to do what's best for him. I mean that's truly American. But it's also truly American to be a team. If he decided to be a lone wolf, that's his decision."

Miller's main problem with the U.S. federation was that it didn't allow him to sleep in his motor home at races. This season, Miller not only has his RV, he also hired a bus to house and transport his new personal coaches, made up mostly of former U.S. staff members.