American skier Bode Miller was assured of his second overall World Cup title in four years after his closest challenger decided not to ski one of the season's final two races.

Didier Cuche will not compete in the season's final slalom race scheduled for Saturday, Swiss team spokeswoman Kristina Schneider said Thursday. Cuche, a speed specialist who won the downhill title over Miller earlier this week, doesn't race the slalom.

Miller missed his last chance at the downhill title when bad weather prevented the season's final race from being run Wednesday, allowing Cuche to keep his lead.

Miller declined to speak to reporters at the finish line of Thursday's super-G race in Bormio, Italy.

"I am not talking today," he said.

His personal coach, John McBride, was glad the title came before the final race. Miller split from the U.S. team this season to train on his own.

"I am very happy I don't have to drag this all the way to the slalom and chew my fingers off watching him try to bring home the bacon in the slalom," McBride told the Associated Press. "I'm super relieved that he's done it because I think he proved he was the best overall skier this year."

Bourque, Guay finish strong

Hannes Reichelt of Austria won the final super-G race of the season Thursday to clinch the World Cup title in the discipline by one point over Cuche.

Reichelt won the race by the slimmest margin, beating Didier Defago of Switzerland by 0.01 seconds, giving him 341 points in seven super-G races this season. Cuche finished 16th, one spot out of the points.

Reichelt covered the Stelvio course in one minute, 45 seconds for his third victory of the season and his fourth career win. Ales Gorza of Slovenia was third in 1:45.34.

François Bourque of New Richmond, Que., finished fifth, his best World Cup super-G showing of the season, while Erik Guay of Mont Tremblant, Que., was right behind in sixth.

"It was really good conditions for us. We had a perfect course with really hard snow," said Paul Kristofic, head coach of the Canadian team.

"The 25 athletes out there are the best of the best. Our guys pushed to win and François had his best result of the season today. Obviously, we want to win at all times but overall we are satisfied with the results."

Cuche said he tried to ski a safe run to finish in the points to secure the super-G title.

"I wanted to use tactics," the 33-year-old said. "If I had only come in 15th, you could have said that I was clever. Now I'm the idiot."

The World Cup finals continue in Bormio Friday with a men's giant slalom (CBC Country Canada, 4:50 a.m. ET) and women's slalom.

With files from the Associated Press