Rebel Bode Miller takes overall World Cup title

LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland — Bode Miller had the perfect reply — to the fans who cover their eyes when he roars down the course, to the coaches who grit their teeth at his Bode-knows-best attitude, to the ski executives exasperated by this Alpine rebel.

He won skiing's most valuable prize Saturday: the World Cup overall title.

The skier who grew up in a cabin without running water or electricity deep in the New Hampshire forests became the first American skier to capture the overall since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney in 1983.

"I've gone from being a kid everyone made fun of, to a World Cup racer who could never finish, to the guy who could have won the overall but crumbled at the end of the season. Then this," he said. "There's been a lot of progression that I look back on with pride."

He claimed the overall crown by finishing ahead of his only remaining challenger, Austria's Benjamin Raich, in the season's final giant slalom. Raich's only chance was to win and hope Miller finished outside the top 15.

Austria's Stephan Goergl won with a two-run time of 2 minutes, 10.51 seconds. Miller was 0.68 seconds behind, with Raich third, 0.80 back.

Miller knew the overall title was within his reach the last four years. He finished the season fourth in 2002, runner-up in 2003 and fourth again last year.

"It's been a bit embarrassing it's taken so long," he said. "It was getting a bit like the Red Sox. It was a bit embarrassing because it was like a curse."

Miller was not the only American enjoying a big day on the slopes. Sarah Schleper recorded her first career World Cup victory, winning the season's final slalom in which Janica Kostelic of Croatia finished second to close in on overall leader Anja Paerson of Sweden. Nicole Hosp of Austria was third.

Miller holds a 204-point lead over Raich, with only 100 points up for grabs in today's slalom finale. Raich took the giant slalom title, finishing three points ahead of Miller, the defending champion in that discipline. Raich also was the season's slalom champ.

"Bode clearly showed us he's one of the greatest U.S. skiers ever, one of the greatest skiers in the history of the sport," U.S. men's coach Phil McNichol said. "His flare, his artistry down the mountain, his grace and full-gas approach is exciting and captivating."

"It's taken this long because he's a nonconformist," he added. "He's someone who learns through doing, experimenting and executing, not learning through someone else."