Krasnaya Polyana, Russia (SportsNetwork. Tyler Ennis Jersey .com) - Ted Ligety skidded out, sliding onto his left side. No, the American skier hadnt just blown another chance to take his rightful place as the Olympic giant slalom champion. He was celebrating. In clear conditions at the Rosa Khutor course, Ligety carved out a big lead with a masterful morning run Wednesday that all but guaranteed him the gold barring a big mistake in the afternoon. Teammate Bode Miller called it a "clutch performance." You might call it a moment eight years in the making. Ligety took a lead of .93 seconds into the second run, then held on to beat Frances Steve Missillier by .48 seconds for his second Olympic gold medal but first in the event hes dominated for years on the World Cup circuit. Ligety finished with a combined time of 2 minutes, 45.29 seconds, winning the first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics for the U.S. alpine skiing team. Alexis Pinturault earned the bronze behind his French teammate. Widely considered the best giant slalom skier of his generation, Ligety skied out of the race in 2006 and finished ninth in 2010. Until he filled the biggest hole in his resume on Wednesday, Ligetys greatest Olympic feat had been a surprising win in the mens combined as a 21-year-old in 2006. "Today was awesome. Theres not really any other way to put it," said Ligety. "This is something Ive been working for since I was a little kid. Being the favorite in alpine skiing is never easy, because its an event thats so far from being guaranteed and not an event thats super simple to win even if youre skiing the best in the world." Miller finished 2.53 seconds behind Ligety in 20th place in what could be the 36-year-olds final Olympic race. Miller became the oldest Olympic medalist in alpine skiing on Sunday when he tied for bronze in the Super-G for his sixth Olympic medal, including a silver in the giant slalom in 2002. "Its asking a bit much of my left knee still on those kinds of bumps. Right in the middle, theres a left-footed turn that just seems like crazy big bumps. I just look at it thinking maybe I could do it, but confidence-wise I dont feel comfortable dropping it in that way and its cost me both runs there. This is pretty aggressive stuff for the lower leg," noted Miller. Ligety is only the second American skier with two Olympic alpine gold medals after Andrea Mead Lawrence, who won both womens slalom events at the 1952 Oslo Games. He finished his first run in 1:21.08 and had the 14th-fastest time in his second run, 1:24.21 -- more than a second slower than Missillier but good enough. Ligety appeared relieved at the bottom of the hill, sliding into the snow and exhaling. Defending Olympic champion Carlo Janka of Switzerland finished in 13th place and Sochi downhill gold medalist Matthias Mayer of Austria ended sixth. Eric Staal Jersey . Luis Enrique signed the deal with club president Josep Bartomeu two days after it was announced by the club. 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Wilfried Bony hit the bar and had a good penalty appeal for a push by Tottenham captain Michael Dawson turned down in the first half, before getting Swanseas consolation late on.LONDON - In a potential blow to Switzerlands Davis Cup ambitions, Roger Federer pulled out of the ATP Finals less than one hour before his title match against Novak Djokovic on Sunday, handing a third straight title at the year-end event to the top-ranked Serb.The 17-time Grand Slam champion said he hurt his back in the nearly three-hour semifinal win over Davis Cup teammate Stan Wawrinka on Saturday night in which Federer saved four match points.Unfortunately Im not match fit, the 33-year-old Swiss told the crowd at the O2 Arena. I tried everything I could last night, also today: painkillers, treatment, rest, so forth, warm-up, until the very end. But I just cant compete at this level with Novak. It would be too risky at my age to do this right now and I hope you understand.Fans appeared to be supportive with applause for Federer when he spoke.The Swiss is set to play for Switzerland in the Davis Cup final against France, starting Friday. If he recovers in time, Federer will be chasing the only major trophy still eluding him. France hosts the match in the northern city of Lille and has opted for clay, a slow surface that could further thwart Federers chances to perform well.I dont think he was calculating and trying to save his body for Davis Cup final, said Djokovic. This is probably the biggest match of the season next to the final of a Grand Slam. I spoke to him, its a question mark for the Davis Cup final as well.It was only the third time in Federers career that he withdrew, each time due to a back injury, following walkovers in 2008 at the Paris Masters and in 2012 in Doha.Following back problems that ruined his 2013 season, Federer enjoyed a superb resurgence this season, losing to Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon final and adding five new titles to his collection.Federer, the most successful player at the ATP Finals with six wiins, also made it to the semifinals at the Australian Open and the U. Minnesota Wild Jerseys. S. Open and won his 23rd Masters title in Shanghai last month. He remained on course for the year-end No. 1 spot until this week and had dropped just one set on the way to the final.I think you have some recurrent things coming back from time to time, the second-ranked Federer said. Its not that much of a surprise. I must say Ive been feeling really good for over a year now, which has been not a surprise, but its been very nice. So this back spasm, whatever it might be, its just not a fun thing to have during the day. Its just uncomfortable. But Im positive and Im hopeful that its going to go away very soon.Djokovic became the first player since Ivan Lendl from 1985-87 to win the year-end event three times in a row but was not in the mood for celebrations.You never like to win, especially these big matches against big rivals, with the retirement, said the four-time champion.Unbeaten on indoor courts in more than two years, Djokovic finished the season No. 1 for the third time in four years, becoming the seventh man to accomplish the feat at least three times. Besides winning his seventh Grand Slam title at the All England Club, Djokovic was also runner-up at the French Open, and won six titles.Right now Im at the pinnacle of my career, he said, adding that winning at Roland Garros would be one his main goals in future years. I physically feel very fit. As long as it is like that, Im going to use these years in front of me to fight for No. 1 of the world and the biggest titles in the sport.Instead of facing Federer, Djokovic played an exhibition with Andy Murray before a doubles match pitting Murray and John McEnroe against Tim Henman and Pat Cash.Federers withdrawal marked the first walkover in a final in the tournaments 45-year history. Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '