Where’s in the world is Bode Miller? Actually he’s in Lauberhorn, Switzerland where he wonh his fourth World Cup race of the year. He won the 2.8 mile-long storied downhill slide/crashing across the finish line 0.65 seconds faster that local Swiss favorite Didier Cuche.

“Miller took an aggressive line through the quirky and perilous obstacles of the classic course … and then sliced exquisite arcs through the final two turns. Depleted of energy after two and a half minutes of racing, he had no energy to land the final jump before the finish, and simply sat down.

‘I didn’t want to leave anything out there,’ said Miller, 29 … ‘I pretty much knew at the start I was going to do that.’ “

UPDATE: Check the comments for a link to the video. Look how hard he’s breathing after he crashes into the safety fence. Props to Tom Kelly of USSA for stopping by to post the link.

To anyone that follows skiing only during the Olympics this may come as a huge surprise. Wasn’t Bode the American that didn’t. The hyped American every last media outlet followed night and day last year at Torino? The vain-glorious team member that didn’t medal. Yep. That’s the same Bode who is currently 3rd in the overall 2006-2007 World Cup standings.

The American fixation with olympic medalits -primarily gold - is becoming a shame. American’s may vageuly remember NBC’s darling Shaun “The Flying Tomato” White took gold in Men’s Halfpipe in Torino last year. Most probably never even knew American Danny Kass took second (his second Olympic medal). American athletes participate in every race and every game every year regardless of NBC and big media’s interest in trying to make a profit on that particular event or not.

So while most American’s would probably place Bode Miller in the flop category he’s actually on his way to passing Phil Mahre as the most successful American skier ever.