Nordic Combined
Team Relay Tuesday

Listen to audio from Todd Lodwick and Billy Demong.

WHISTLER OLYMPIC PARK, BC (Feb. 21) – The U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team returned from training in Park City, UT, to find the rain clouds gone and beautiful conditions at Whistler ahead of the team relay Tuesday, when they'll try to add to a normal hill silver won by Johnny Spillane.

"I'm really hungry to get back in it for the team event," said five-time Olympian Todd Lodwick. "We are all jumping well. It's been a great week, but I'm psyched to be back."

The veteran trio of Lodwick, Spillane and Billy Demong came into the Games on the strength of strong World Cup performances and three individual gold medals at the 2009 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. Spillane's silver was the first medal for the U.S. since competition began in 1924.

"The team is awesome. We're on a roll. For me it was really good to get away (this last week) to see the family and realize the accomplishments that I've had and that the team has had. It really sucked being 4th (in the individual NH) but I know that I gave it my all. It was one of the best cross country races I've had all season."

The start time for Tuesday's team race has been moved to 10:30 a.m. PT, with the finals slated to start at 2 p.m.

"It was a wise plan to go back home," said Demong, like Spillane a four-time Olympian. "We needed time away. I think we're all very motivated - Johnny to do it again, Todd and I to do even better, but obviously it (Johnny's silver) was a great result for the team and for us as individuals.

"We're one of the strong teams to look at, but the exciting thing is that the other day there were other teams that will be contenders that were not in the individual. There are definitely five or six teams that can play in this event. It will be exciting and we'll have to do our job for sure."

Demong was also just outside the medals in sixth place after a mistake on the jump set him back. He screamed through the cross country course, however, to join a tight lead group halfway through the race.

"This year I started a little off my game in cross country," Demong said. "Whether it was my shoulder injury or my subsequent training had something to do with that. The other day was a great race overall, but I needed a race like that to do better overall."

Coaches will choose between 19-year-old Taylor Fletcher and Torino veteran Brett Camerota for the fourth team spot, with both owning World Cup points this year.

The large hill individual competition ends the nordic combined schedule Thursday.