Every Olympics offers up two kinds of athletes: heavily hyped favorites and underdogs just happy to reach the show. After winning four of five Grand Prix events entering the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy, snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler landed squarely in the first category. Meanwhile, with Bode Miller grabbing all the headlines, skier Ted Ligety cruised under the radar. In the end, both shined: Bleiler snagged silver in the half-pipe, and Ligety claimed gold in the combined. Their roles may be somewhat reversed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, but thanks to the killer fitness levels both competitors maintain, even stronger results may await. Here are their stories.
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Slopes and dreams
