Miller wins to extend US domination

Bode Miller on Sunday continued the US team's Olympic alpine skiing medal surge when he won the men's super-combined title for his third podium finish in as many races.

Miller's maiden Olympic gold was the United States' eighth medal (two gold, three silver, three bronze) out of a possible 18 from six alpine disciplines raced so far.

"I can't ask for anything more," the 32-year-old said, adding that he was unsure how long the US team's medal hauling could go.

"I don't know how long we can keep this up. It's emotionally and physically exhausting."

Miller's performance has left his disastrous outing at the Turin Games four years ago as a mere footnote in skiing history.

After winning two silvers at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, Miller went on to achieve superstar status with his overall World Cup victory and downhill and super-G world titles in 2005.

But come Turin, the American partied a lot, underperformed and returned home empty-handed to be slammed by his national press.

That has all changed as Miller, who last week won Olympic super-G silver and downhill bronze, clocked a combined total over a downhill and slalom of 2min 44.92sec, 0.33sec ahead of Croatian silver medallist Ivica Kostelic.

Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland took bronze, a further 0.07sec adrift.

"I needed to ski a fast downhill and knew if I could be within 1.25sec I would have the chance of a medal," said Kostelic, whose father Ante was the course setter for the slalom.

"I was a favourite for a medal before the Olympic Games so there's a lot more pressure than if you're an outsider.

"I was really nervous. I had such a good downhill and I knew the guys behind me in the slalom were going to work really hard. The pressure was unbelievable. I had this dream to get a medal and now it's real."

Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, the reigning world super-combined champion, led after the downhill portion but skied out of the slalom in sight of the finish line.

"It happens, it's part of the game," Svindal, who won super-G gold and downhill silver last week, said of his mistake.

"No one's winning anything being too safe. I knew the other guys skied well, so I just had to be fast as well.

"In slalom you can't defend anything. You just have to go out fast and try to ski well. I couldn't hold back, I had to attack it if I was going to have the chance to win gold. I can't complain. I've had a great Games."

Miller, like Svindal a two-time World Cup overall champion, was 0.76sec off the Norwegian's downhill pace but produced a third fastest and relatively error-free slalom to claim victory and go better than his combined bronze from the 2002 Games.

Reigning Olympic champion in the discipline, Ted Ligety of the United States, finished in fifth place at 0.90sec behind Carlo Janka of Switzerland.

"It's tough but I'm happy with my performance today. It's cool for Bode," Ligety said of his team-mate.

"He's been really motivated. It's cool to finally see him win an Olympic medal, that's what's been missing off his resume. Coming into the season out of shape was kind of a bonus for him."

There was still no medal joy for the Austrian men, however, with Benjamin Raich coming closest in sixth place at 1.21sec.

"More gas next time," Raich promised. "I thought I had a good downhill. I thought I had a good chance for the podium."