Vancouver, British Columbia ? Bode Miller made the kind of mistake that happens in skiing, especially for a risk-taker like him.

The gaffe made by Dutch speedskater Sven Kramer? Unbelievable.

Kramer went through the grueling 10,000-meter race in what would’ve been record time, but was disqualified for not switching lanes while coming out of a turn about two-thirds into the race.

Here’s the craziest part: Kramer actually made the switch, but his coach missed it. Thinking his star was about to make an epic mistake, the coach animatedly motioned for Kramer to switch lanes. Kramer seemed to pause before deciding to follow orders.

Kramer certainly should’ve known better. This is a guy who’s won the last three world championships at 5,000 and 10,000 meters; holds the world record at both distances; and already won gold and set an Olympic record in the 5,000 at this Olympics.

“I’ve seen it once or twice in my career,” former speedskating champion Dan Jansen said on NBC, “but never with a top skater and certainly never in the Olympic Games.”

All Miller did was lose control and fail to finish his first run down the giant slalom course.

He missed his chance for a record fourth Alpine medal at a single Winter Games. But he notched what could be called a Bode Slam: a gold, a silver, a bronze and a DNF (did not finish).

Elsewhere around the Vancouver Olympics on Tuesday, Canada’s hockey team bounced back with an 8-2 victory over Germany, and Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette earned the best score of her career under incredibly emotional circumstances — performing on home ice two days after her mother died of a heart attack shortly after arriving here. She’ll go into the final Thursday night in third place.

Speedskating

Kramer crossed the line with a big smile, believing he’d won. He obviously didn’t notice that he had skated the final eight laps in the same lane as the other skater in his pair.

The only hint was seeing his girlfriend in the stands, her head buried in her hands.

When coach Gerard Kemkers broke the news, Kramer flung his glasses, then stomped the heel of his blade into the ice. Just like that, Lee Seung-hoon of South Korea had the gold and Kramer moved into Olympic infamy, like the U.S. shooter who blew a sure gold medal by shooting at the wrong target during the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Giant slalom

Miller almost crashed during the top half of his run, straightened out, then couldn’t stay on line coming out of a gate in the second half.

“I’m taking more risk than everyone else,” Miller told the Associated Press.