For those of us who are still bitter about Colorado’s rejection of the 1976 Olympic Winter Games (and I was one bitter elementary school kid, myself), World Cup men’s skiing at Beaver Creek is sort of a consolation prize — a world class winter sporting event in our own backyard. (The women were at Aspen last week.) Yesterday was the men’s downhill event on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek, and Americans Bode Miller and Damon Rahlves shocked the world with their 1-2 finish.

Miller is attempting to become the first American to win a World Cup overall title since 1983, and is under a lot of pressure to become the “Lance Armstrong of skiing” who can bring the sport mainstream appeal in this country. So far, Miller seems to be handling it well, but of course the season is young.

The giant slalom event starts today at 11:00 a.m. and the slalom in on Sunday, so there is still some time to watch Miller’s quest for the world overall championship.