Val Gardena, Italy – Five-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller continued to build speed on the Road to Sochi with fifth in the 46^th Saslong Classic downhill in Val Gardena, Italy on Saturday in a race won by Erik Guay of Canada.

After falling behind in the upper gliding portion of the course, Miller found the gas pedal through the turny, rolling lower half to nearly make up a full second of time before running out of space to finish .15 off the podium, his best speed result of the season.

“On the top I didn’t feel like I was going fast,” said Miller, of Franconia, N.H. “I took a little bit of risk in some parts and pulled off some decent turns. I skied pretty well but it’s one of those courses where there’s not enough to it to bring it back in with my technical ability.”

Guay made Canadian history with his victory on Saturday by tying Steve Podborski’s Canadian record of 20 World Cup podiums. The 32-year-old from Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, was behind after the first split but made up time on his way down the famous Saslong track to win a compelling race and claim Canada’s second podium in Val Gardena in as many days, following Jan Hudec’s second place in Friday’s super G.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to tie the record. To be included alongside some of the greatest names in ski racing is something special,” said Guay. “This is something that I haven’t talked about a lot but I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I’m really happy to have the record now.

“I don’t want to stop there – I want to own the record outright. But to tie it here, especially on this hill where we’ve had so much success and a long tradition of Canadians being on the podium, is great.”

North Americans have won the Saslong Classic three of the last four years, with Utah’s Steven Nyman as the 2013 champion. Guay was one of three Canadian Cowboys in the top 10 Saturday, with Manuel Osborne-Paradis charging into seventh and Hudec finishing ninth. Guay had knee surgery in July and only returned to on-snow training in November but he’s made an impressive start to the season, finishing eighth, 16^th and now first in the opening three downhills of the 2013-14 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season.

“I understand the reason why I’m fast right now,” Guay said. “The coaches, servicemen, everyone is working hard and Manny and Jan are skiing fast, too. It almost seems like the Canadian team of old.”

In other U.S. Ski Team results, Erik Fisher (Middleton, Idaho) finished 13^th, Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, Calif.) 16^th and Travis Ganong (also Squaw Valley) 19^th.  Nyman had a solid run going before being knocked back on his skis over a roll. He made an incredible recovery to avoid what could have been a dangerous high-speed crash.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup
Val Gardena, Italy – Dec. 21, 2013
Men’s Downhill