How U.S. Winter Olympic athletes are selected

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Skiing (Alpine)
The U.S. will qualify 22 athletes for Turin, with a maximum of 14 per gender. Up to four male and four female athletes may start for the U.S. in each discipline (men’s and women’s downhill, men’s and women’s slalom, men’s and women’s giant slalom, and men’s and women’s super-G).

The top two to qualify in each discipline will be assured of a start in that discipline.

Athletes will be selected based on results from Oct. 25 to Jan. 29. Up to three athletes for each discipline may be nominated based solely on their results. Results considered will be: one or more top-three World Cup finishes; two or more top-10 finishes; three or more top-20 finishes; three or more top-30 finishes in half the World Cup races held for that discipline; and total points in a discipline. If spots remain open, they may be filled by the coaching staff.

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Two-time Olympians Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves will be the two biggest contenders at Sestriere, the site of the Olympic alpine events.

Miller, who claimed a pair of silver medals in 2002, has improved in the years since with World Cup race wins and an overall title (the first by a U.S. skier since Phil Mahre in 1983). Rahlves is the all-time winningest U.S. man in speed events.

Image: Bode Miller
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
World Cup champion Bode Miller collected a pair of silver medals at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake.
Behind those two are, among others, Erik Schlopy, Bryon Friedman and slalom whiz Ted Ligety.