Turin Diary: Awe and agony

Before Antoine Deneriaz scored the fastest time in Saturday's final downhill training, the Frenchman was an unimaginable candidate to take victory in the event; afterwards he was a long-shot.

Racing to the fastest training time at the Kandahar Banchetta piste, Deneriaz was displeased with himself, having hoped for a slower race and an earlier start time in Sunday's final.

"I was hoping to be between 10 and 15," said Deneriaz at the time. "I should have put the breaks on."

He was instead was forced to start as the final racer out of the medal contendors in what would ultimately prove to be lucky-bib No. 30.

On Sunday, the Frenchman had to watch and wait as Austrian speed kings Hermann Maier and Fritz Strobl failed to crack the podium, along with American challengers Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves.

By the time the 29-year-old Deneriaz was up, world downhill No. 1 Michael Walchhofer looked firmly in command of the gold.

"Maybe I won because I did not realize I was in the Olympic Games," Deneriaz quipped after shattering the Austrian's time by 0.72 seconds in the race of his life.

"I was elsewhere, on another planet," Deneriaz told Eurosport. "I was not even in the Games, I was on a cloud."

What's more astonishing, Deneriaz had only three victories and six podiums in nine years of racing on the World Cup circuit. The power of the under-dog, and the beauty of the upset were the additional winners on top of the France's victory.

Deneriaz said it all.

"Yes, it was good."

ALPINE ANALYSIS: Deneriaz earns his gold

Five-time World Champion Michelle Kwan will not have a chance to win her first gold medal, at least not before the age of 29.

The silver medallist in the 98' Games and bronze-winner four years ago in Salt Lake City suffered a groin strain in training on Saturday. By the wee hours of Sunday morning the pain was too much, and at 2:15 CET Kwan got on the phone to her doctors.

They recommended that she drop out of her third games, and once the reporters were awake to hear the news, Kwan held a press conference to announce her withdrawal. During the emotional question and answer, the American star of the ice lamented about her future prospects in the sport she loves.

"Well, it's always been a dream to win the Olympics and it's always an honour to represent your country," Kwan said as the tears began to well up in her eyes. "I've learned it's not about the gold and it's about the spirit of it and the sport itself, so I have no regrets."

"I tried my hardest and, if I don't win the gold, it's okay. I've had a great career, I've been very lucky," she added on her chances in Vancouver four years down the line.

"This is a sport and it is beautiful."

KWAN'S REPLACEMENT: Sarah Hughes' kid sister Emily

Norway snagged their first gold medal of the Games by the end of the night thanks to ski jumper Lars Bystoel who claimed victory on Pragelato's normal hill, but the victory had to be bitter-sweet for the Fighting Vikings.

Earlier in the evening, Norway's two greatest ski stars were forced to withdraw from their respective events after misfortune struck on the slopes.

World cross-country No. 1 Marit Bjoergen will miss Tuesday's team sprint after failing to finish in Sunday's 2x7.5km pursuit because of a stomach bug. She hopes to be better in time to compete in Thursday's 10-km classical, but the withdrawal could cost Norway a team gold, which they were favoured to win.

On the donwhill slopes in Sestriere triple-Olympic champion Kjetil Andre Aamodt just missed bringing his record Olympic alpine medal tally to eight, taking fourth place.

What's more, Aamodt finished the astonishing run after injuring his knee on one of its first jumps. Unfortunately, the sore left knee will prevent him from defending his combined title on Tuesday, but he hopes to be back for Saturday's super-G.

REPORT: Aamodt out of combined

Under the home floodlights Armin Zoeggeler mastered the tricky Cesana luge track for a fourth time in two days, and defended his men's singles Olympic title to the roar of the Italian fans.

Then a stunning fireworks display lit up the night's sky and celebrated Italy's first gold at Torino.

In the culmination of the most brilliant luge career of all time, 39-year-old triple-Olympic champion Georg Hackl took his last run ever, and failed to medal for the first time in his six Olympic trips, finishing seventh.

"I did my best because I was not going to live that again, and now, it's over," the legendary 'flying sausage' told Eurosport after his final contest.

"I've lived good moments. I've had good times. I've broke some records that now belong to history," the German then said.

"And it was a nice lifetime."

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