ALPINE SKIING
U.S. OUTLOOK: The team has set a lofty goal of eight medals. Watch Julia Mancuso in the downhill, Kristina Koznick in the slalom, Rahlves, Mancuso and Kirsten Clark in the Super Gs, and Miller-in anything.
MEN
Downhill
Michael Walchhofer, Austria
Daron Rahlves, U.S.
Hermann Maier, Austria
Walchhofer began his career as a slalom specialist.
Super G
Hermann Maier, Austria
Hannes Reichelt, Austria
Christoph Gruber, Austria
Maier once out-arm-wrestled countryman Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Combined
Benjamin Raich, Austria
Bode Miller, U.S.
Michael Walchhofer, Austria
Miller was second, Raich third in '02 behind Norway's Kjetil André Aamodt.
Giant Slalom
Benjamin Raich, Austria
Massimiliano Blardone, Italy
Fredrik Nyberg, Sweden
No nation has won four men's Alpine golds at one Games.
Slalom
Giorgio Rocca, Italy
Kalle Pallender, Finland
Ted Ligety, U.S.
Partially color-blind Rocca wears goggles to tell blue gates from red.
WOMEN
Downhill
Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
Janica Kostelic, Croatia
Lindsey Kildow, U.S.
In December, Kildow won a race in France. Her prize: a cow.
Super G
Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria
Anja Pörson, Sweden
What, no cow? Dorfmeister used to travel the circuit with her pet rat.
Combined
Janica Kostelic, Croatia
Anja Pörson, Sweden
Marlies Schild, Austria
Kostelic is the only Alpine skier to win four medals in one Games ('02).
Giant Slalom
Anja Pörson, Sweden
Kathrin Zettel, Austria
Janica Kostelic, Croatia
Pörson celebrates her victories with a sliding belly flop.
Slalom
Janica Kostelic, Croatiav
Marlies Schild, Austria
Nicole Hosp, Austria
Kostelic has had 11 knee operations, and her thyroid was removed in '04.
BIATHLON
U.S. OUTLOOK: There will be no medals, but Alaska's Jay Hakkinen could give the U.S. its first top 10.
MEN
10K Sprint
Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway
Frode Andresen, Norway
Michael Greis, Germany
Bjørndalen learned positive thinking from vacuum salesman turned coach.
12.5K Pursuit
Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway
Michael Roesch, Germany
Ricco Gross, Germany
To ward off colds, Bjørndalen gargles with spirits before races.
15K Mass Start
Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway
Rapha?l Poirée, France
Sven Fischer, Germany
Rapha?l and Norwegian wife Liv Grete won medals in 2002.
20K Individual
Sven Fischer, Germany
Ole Einar Bjørndalen, Norway
Michael Greis, Germany
Twice World Cup overall champ, Fischer has no solo Olympic golds.
4_7.5K Relay
Germany
Russia
France
German biathletes have won medals in the relay in the last nine Games.
WOMEN
7.5K Sprint
Kati Wilhelm, Germany
Sandrine Bailly, France
Liv Grete Poirée, Norway
Wilhelm took up biathlon in 1999; by 2001 she was world sprint champ.
10K Pursuit
Kati Wilhelm, Germany
Sandrine Bailly, France
Uschi Disl, Germany
Wilhelm lost a 16-second lead in '02.
12.5K Mass Start
Martina Glagow, Germany
Uschi Disl, Germany
Anna Carin Olofsson, Sweden
Disl, 35, has won eight Olympic medals but no individual golds.
15K Individual
Andrea Henkel, Germany
Anna Carin Olofsson, Sweden
Albina Akhatova, Russia
Henkel is the reigning world and Olympic champ.
4_6K Relay
Germany
Russia
France
With Disl, now a five-time Olympian, Germany has won the last two relays.
BOBSLED
U.S. OUTLOOK: The team can mine medals in each event. Look for Hays's sleds in both men's events and for Shauna Rohbock & Valerie Fleming and Jean Prahm & Vonetta Flowers in the women's.
MEN
Two-man
Pierre Lueders & Lascelles Brown, Canada
Andre Lange & Kevin Kuske, Germany
Martin Annen & Beat Hefti, Switzerland
Jamaican native Brown received Canadian citizenship last month.
Four-man
Switzerland (driver: Martin Annen)
U.S. (driver: Todd Hays)
Russia (driver: Alexander Zubkov)
Annen is a professional cheese maker (Gruyère is his favorite).
WOMEN
Two-woman
Sandra Kiriasis & Anja Schneiderheinze, Germany
Susi Erdmann & Annegret Dietrich, Germany
Helen Upperton & Heather Moyse, Canada
Kiriasis escaped a fire that destroyed her home in 2004.
Issue date: February 6, 2006
