OYER, Norway -- Alberto Tomba doesn't do mornings.


Too little sleep. Too much to do. He does the afternoons. When the races are won and lost. When the celebrations begin.


Sunday afternoon, under a covering of snow clouds, he came roaring down a mountain, trying to make up time from the morning run, trying to reclaim victory in his final slalom race at the Winter Olympics. He came oh so close, finishing in second place 0.15 seconds behind Thomas Stangassinger of Austria who won the gold.


Tomba nearly fell at the second gate, but raced on. He nearly slipped in the middle, but raced harder. And when he reached the bottom, he was in full roar, bashing down gates, riding the course, sliding through the finish and looking up to the clock, seeing the time, and finally, throwing his hands down in disgust.The run was good, but he demands great. He stormed around the finish paddock, watching his name climb up the standings.


Down 12 places and 1.84 seconds in the morning, other skiers falling and slipping and Tomba moving higher until the day ended and he was on the victory podium, silver in hand. Slovenia's Jure Kosir won the bronze.


But the day belonged to Tomba.


He completed his Olympic career with three golds and two silvers, becoming the first Alpine skier to win medals in three Olympics.