"That's why it would be weird if we played anybody except Canada."
big scoring edge
Canada, champions at Salt Lake City in 2002, outscored its three opponents 36-1 in the preliminary round, including a 16-0 win over Italy and 12-0 over Russia.
In the men's skeleton, two-time defending World Cup champion Jeff Pain of Canada faces strong competition as he bids for his first Olympic medal.
Pain won three World Cup races this season, pushing Switzerland's Gregor Staehli into second place in the overall standings by a comfortable margin of 580 points to 425.
Staehli, a bronze medalist at Salt Lake, will hope to overcome Pain on Friday in the one-day, two-run event held at the speedy Cesana track.
Britain's Kristan Bromley, a former World Cup winner and two-time European champion, and Paul Boehm of Canada -- sixth overall in World Cup this season -- could also win a medal.
Canada could also feature on the podium in the women's snowboard cross, where Dominique Maltais is this season's World Cup leader and teammate Maelle Ricker is ranked second.
American Lindsey Jacobellis, the world champion, and third-ranked Doresia Krings of Austria, could also be among the medals along with the French pair of Karine Ruby, a four-time World Cup winner, and Julie Pomagalski, the 1999 world champion.
In men's 15km classical cross-country skiing, Frode Estil, who won silver at Salt Lake and bronze at the 2003 world titles, is among the favorites.
World Cup leader Tobias Angerer of Germany was a disappointing 12th in the 30km pursuit and continues to look for his first medal at any Olympics or world championship.
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