American skiing legend Bode Miller has ended speculation over his future racing career by officially confirming his retirement at the age of 40.
Miller, winner of the Olympic gold medal in the super combined at Vancouver 2010, has not competed since suffering a leg injury at the 2015 World Championships in Beaver Creek 21 months ago.
It was widely expected that he would retire and Miller was not named on the 2017-2018 United States ski team.
Miller, considered one of the greatest International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup racers having won 33 events, has now revealed that he has brought his career to an end.
The four-time world champion, who also won three Olympic silver medals and two bronze, said he made the decision a long time ago.
Miller has now agreed to become an alpine skiing analyst for NBC Olympics at Pyeongchang 2018.
“I am done,” he said in an interview on the In Depth with Graham Bensinger television program in the US.
“I had a long career as a ski racer but I’m no longer craving for it.
“It had kind of been a long time coming.
“But just with my kids and the time and life, when I look at skiing now, I don’t really feel like I have anything, the motivation, the desire, the everything to kind of go through it again.
“It would be one thing if it was a different sport like, you know, golf or tennis or something where I could go out there and limp into it.
“But skiing is just so dangerous and risky, and there’s so much there that can go bad for you.
“I think just the preparation for it is so demanding. It’s just not feasible to get that done.”
In a statement, the FIS praised Miller for a successful career and wished him the best in retirement.
“Thanks Bode for everything you did for alpine skiing, you were a charismatic athletes that helped develop our sport,” it read.
“We will miss you on the World Cup tour and wish you all the best for the future.”
By Liam Morgan
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.