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Twice World Cup overall champion Bode Miller has announced his return to the United States ski team in one last bid for Olympic gold.

Miller, who after a falling-out with the US team split from the programme following the 2007 World Cup season to start his own team, said he was excited to be back and would try to get a spot on the 2010 Vancouver Olympic squad.

"I've had some great seasons. I've had some great runs here and there but I've never ... in hindsight looked back at a season and said, 'Wow, I really did all the stuff I could do'," Miller said.

"This is an opportunity for me to have all the best runs of my life, a season where I really, really can kill it."

Miller's return to the US squad began with a call to the head coach of the men's Alpine team Sasha Rearick.

The 31-year-old all-rounder said he had stepped away from the sport for a time to reflect and clear the slate and was encouraged by the support he had received.

"We've worked hard over the last years to come together as a tight family," said Rearick. "To have Bode come back to the family is extremely exciting for us.

"I'm looking forward to having Bode step up as a leader."

One of skiing's most charismatic and talented racers, Miller's reckless win-or-crash philosophy has won him legions of fans, an American record 31 World Cup victories and four world championship gold medals.

He has never found the same success on the Olympic stage, three Winter Games producing just two silver medals in 2002 from Salt Lake City while he failed to reach the podium in five events four years later in Turin.

Miller, who said he was not in top racing form, will start working with the team immediately as it prepares for the upcoming World Cup season which begins next month in Solden, Austria.

Miller declined to specify any regrets he might have had from the 2006 Turin Games where he at the time brushed off his lack of medals by saying at least he got to party Olympic style.

"My actions are going to speak much more loudly than any apology can," said Miller.

Reuters