Giant rally earns Miller 2nd silver

PARK CITY, Utah -- Bode Miller crossed the finish line Thursday all but sitting on his skis.

Yet another of his daredevil comebacks had catapulted Miller to his second silver medal, sweeping him past everyone but Austria's Stephan Eberharter in the giant slalom.

"When I crossed the finish line I knew I couldn't have skied any better," said Miller, who sideswiped the final gate and tilted sideways before leaning back on his skis.

"I didn't really care how I finished. I was just playing around a little bit. I felt like I had a great run and there just wasn't anything left."

Lacking his usual gusto and placing seventh on the morning run, Miller went for broke in the afternoon to become the first U.S. man to medal in the giant slalom. He also had rallied to claim silver in the combined event last week.

"This is maybe the biggest accomplishment of my life, to ski the way I skied today," Miller said of his second run, which was fastest of the field. "I feel like I skied my best race today. It was only good enough for second, but Eberharter was one of the best racers in history today. I don't think anyone would have beaten him."

Eberharter finally emerged from the shadow of fellow Austrian Hermann Maier by winning his third medal of these Games. He finished 0.88 seconds ahead of Miller, then fell sideways in the snow in the finish area and stayed on the ground for several moments in celebration.

"I was thinking it's done," Eberharter said. "It was my last chance to win a gold medal, because this is my last Olympic Games."

Norway's Lasse Kjus won the bronze medal, 1.04 seconds behind, to go with a silver in the downhill last week. Kjus has five Alpine medals in the Olympics.

On his second run, Miller fought to maintain balance as he raced down the slope, pounding gates with both arms. He made up much of his time in the middle of the course, where his exceptional speed made the difference.

"He has a crazy style in skiing," Eberharter said, "but he's fast, and that's what counts."

Miller's silvers both are historic.

Last week, he became the first American man to win a medal in the combined event, and no U.S. man had finished better than fourth in the giant slalom before Thursday.

Eberharter, who won silver in the super giant slalom and bronze in the downhill last week, joins teammate Kjetil Andre Aamodt (1994), Jean Claude Killy (1968), Toni Sailer (1956) and Henri Oreiller (1948) as the only men to win three Alpine medals in one Olympics.

Miller, 24, of Franconia, N.H., will try to join that club Saturday in the slalom, where he's the favorite.

"Today was awesome, two silver medals and still going strong," he said. "I raced a great race today. If I can do that and come down and feel like I raced a really great race in the slalom, I think I'll have a gold."

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