VAL GARDENA, Italy — Bode Miller finished second to Michael Walchhofer in the classic Saslong downhill on Saturday, reviving the defense of his overall World Cup title and heading a contingent of five Americans finishing among the top 10.

Austria's Walchhofer timed 1 minute, 50.57 seconds to win for the second straight year on a course that features jumps launching skiers into the air for more than 82 yards at speeds upward of 75 mph.

Miller, who races independently of the U.S. Ski Team, finished 0.38 seconds behind, and Manuel Osborne-Paradis of Canada was third, 0.54 back.

Marco Sullivan took fourth for the U.S., Erik Fisher a career-best seventh, 2006 winner Steven Nyman ninth and TJ Lanning 10th.

It's the first time Miller has finished on the podium in the downhill here. He won a super-G on the Saslong in 2006 and finished second in that discipline last year, but had never been able to pull it all together over the longer distance.

It was the 14th victory of Walchhofer's career, and his third in Val Gardena — putting him one win from tying the course record of four victories held by Austrian great Franz Klammer and Italy's Kristian Ghedina.

The Saslong course was shortened slightly Saturday due to fog and low visibility on its upper reaches.

Miller also finished second in the season's opening slalom in Levi, Finland, last month. He then failed to finish four of his next seven races.

Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal finished 34th but held onto his lead in the overall World Cup standings with 398 points. Miller moved up from 13th to ninth with 240 points.

The circuit now moves to nearby Alta Badia for a giant slalom and slalom Sunday and Monday. Miller won the GS on the Gran Risa in 2002 and finished second two years ago.