No pressure, U.S. skiers, but you’re coming off the nation’s best performance in Olympic history four years ago at Vancover without your top gun on the women’s side and a 36-year-old on the men’s side who’s trying to grab the gusto one last time.

No problem, right? Certainly expectations aren’t as great for the U.S. as they were in 2010, but this U.S. team might have a good mix of veterans and emerging standouts who could reach the podium stand when the Winter Olympics begin in Sochi, Russia.

Although Lindsey Vonn, the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in the downhill, will be stateside tending to her surgically repaired knee, and Bode Miller, who will become the oldest American to participate in alpine skiing when the Olympics begin, is trying to race Father Time, all isn’t lost. The U.S. has medal possibilities when the Olympic downhill begins Feb. 9 …