LAKE PLACID, N.Y. • Bobsled driver Steve Holcomb has a lot more riding on his sled than just his four-man team at world championships, which begin today.

First, USA I driver Holcomb and his $50,000 sled are the world’s hottest team, entering the season’s biggest race with a silver and two golds in the past three World Cups. Holcomb, driving a smaller sled, also took two-man bronze in last week’s world championship to break a 12-year U.S. medal drought in that event.

Second, the U.S. has not won a four-man world title in 50 years, since Art Tyler in 1959 at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Third, results from this race — not the season-long World Cup standings, where Holcomb finished third in the four-man — determines funding for the entire U.S. federation next year, the year of the 2010 Olympics.

“The U.S. Olympic Committee — their focus is the Olympics and this is as close to the Olympics as you get,” he said.

Fourth, expectations are high because Holcomb, along with USA II driver Todd Hays, 2002 Olympic silver medalist, are competing on their home country’s track. John Napier will pilot USA III.

No pressure or anything.

Holcomb, 28, gives a small laugh, standing in the team’s new sled garage this week.

“We definitely have a good chance,” he said. “We’ve been fast all week, fast all year.

“I know people are intimidated by my guys and the sled. They know it’s fast … they know we have the right combinations. It’s a matter of proving it on Saturday.”

Holcomb, the 2007 World Cup overall champion, lives in Park City, Utah. His mother, Jean Schaefer, lives in Colorado Springs, where Holcomb lived last summer.

Holcomb, along with teammates Justin Olsen, Steve Mesler and brakeman Curtis Tomasevicz, is due to start third in the first of four heats today. The first two heats are today, the final two on Sunday.

Competition for gold will likely come from Russia, Latvia and Germany.

Holcomb was forced to miss four World Cup races this season because of federation budget cuts. He was angry about the decision, saying he did not have input. But it allowed him extra training at Lake Placid.

Holcomb came back from the unwanted World Cup break to win the season’s last two races.

Photo by KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE