King of the mountain

ByReuters

Published 14/02/2006 at 19:16 GMT

Unheralded American Ted Ligety won Olympic gold in the Alpine skiing combined event on Tuesday after leader Benjamin Raich of Austria skied out of the slalom. Ligety, competing in only his second-ever Combined event, beat Croatian Ivica Kostelic into seco

2006 Torino Men's Combined Ligety

Image credit: Reuters

Ligety had been expected to play second fiddle to his better known team mate Bode Miller but the overall World Cup champion, who led after the downhill leg, straddled a gate pole in the first slalom run and was disqualified.

Raich, world combined champion and overall World Cup leader, had a lead of 0.40 seconds going into the final slalom leg but straddled a gate halfway down the second run and went out.

American team members, waiting with Ligety at the finish line of the Giovanni Agnelli course, celebrated wildly as they realised their man had won.

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"After the downhill I didn't think I'd have a chance," Ligety told Eurosport after finishing three seconds adrift in 32nd, "but to have made up so much time is unbelievable.

2006 Torino Men's Combined Ligety

Image credit: Reuters

"When I saw that I was 1.3 ahead at the finish was great, and it was the greatest feeling ever when Raich pulled out. It's crazy to win gold in my first Olympics, especially in the combined."

Miller, combined silver medallist at the last Olympics, had been a favourite for the gold in Turin while the 21-year-old Ligety, skiing in his first Games and without a single World Cup win, remained in the shadows.

KNEE SURGERY

Ligety, who has had three World Cup podium places in slalom this season, produced the fastest time of the first slalom leg to push him up to third overall, behind Kostelic and Raich, going into the decisive leg.

Kostelic, the older brother of Janica who is defending three Alpine skiing gold medals in Turin, had knee surgery two years ago and has not won a race since.

"Nobody can imagine what I am feeling right now after all that I have been through," said Kostelic, who was hugged by his tearful sister in the finish area.

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Torino 2006 USA Ligety Kostelic

Image credit: dpa

"I'm not sure if I'm dreaming or not," he added. "I have worked so hard for this and this is the biggest day of my life, I can't believe it.

Raich was philosophical about losing. "I was very fast but that is skiing for you," he told reporters. "Of course I feel a bit empty now but you have to look to the future."

Outgoing champion Kjetil Andre Aamodt of Norway decided not to defend his title after injuring his knee in Sunday's downhill when he finished fourth.

Miller came to Turin as a favourite in all five events but finished fifth in Sunday's downhill. His next opportunity will be the super-G, in which he is world champion, on Saturday.