Lamy Chappuis wins sprint finish for Nordic combined gold

From Sportsbeat Staff, in Vancouver

WORLD Cup leader Jason Lamy Chappuis came out on top of a desperate sprint finish to claim Nordic combined 10km normal hill gold at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

DIG DEEP: France's World Cup leader Jason Lamy Chappuis comes out on top of a sprint finish to win the Nordic combined 10km normal hill event in Whistler Olympic Park (Getty Images)

The 23-year old was lying fifth after the ski jump but after catching up with leader Janne Ryynaenen, the Frenchman remained with the leading pack and made his move at the death to win in 25:47.1 minutes.

USA's Johnny Spillane finished 0.4 seconds back to claim his country's first ever Nordic combined Olympic medal while Italy's Alessandro Pittin crossed the line another 0.4 behind for bronze.

World champion Todd Lodwick was the unlucky one in the dash for the line as he crossed 0.7 after Pittin with the rest of the field more than ten seconds back.

American-born Lamy Chappuis isn't known for his proficiency in the cross country leg, but the world 10km large hill champion found the pace when he needed and set the fifth fastest 10km ski time.

And with Spillane leading going into the final stretch, the Frenchman admitted he was expecting to settle for silver as they entered the stadium.

"I really didn't think I was going to win until the end, until the finish line," said Lamy Chappuis, who has won five times on the World Cup tour this season.

"Johnny was pushing really hard and I thought he was going to hold on for gold but then, when we came into the stadium, I pushed as hard as I could when I saw he was starting to slow down.

"And I knew at the last 100m I still had the power to pass him."

Norway's Magnus Moan, who has won twice on the World Cup tour this season, tore through the field with the fastest ski time of 24:16.7 but having started more than a minute behind Lamy Chappuis, the difference was too great and he finished ninth.

Spillane also impressed with the sixth fastest cross country time and despite being reeled in and beaten by Lamy Chappuis at the death, the American insisted it had been a job well done in Whistler.

"I feel very fortunate to get silver," said Spillane, who will head a strong USA team for the relay competition on February 23.

"I was worried I wasn't going to finish and I was just glad there wasn't anybody else coming through at that point because I was pretty tired."

AS IT HAPPENS: Day three from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver