BEAVER CREEK — Austrian Michael Walchhofer, who earlier this week joked about ending America’s four-year win streak in the Birds of Prey downhill, got serious today, edging American Steve Nyman by five-hundredths of a second.

Walchhofer, an 11-time World Cup winner and the silver medalist in downhill from the 2006 Winter Olympics, won in a steady snowstorm with a time of 1 minute, 13.74 seconds.

Nyman, of Provo, Utah, who got on his first-ever World Cup podium with a third-place finish in the downhill here last year, climbed up a step to second this year with a time of 1:13.79.

Starting eighth, Nyman had a wild ride - at one point skiing on one ski - but he held on to lead the race until Walchoffer came down with a nearly flawless run out of the 16th spot.

Switzerland’s Didier Cuche was third with a time of 1:13.84.

American Bode Miller, who won the downhill here last year with Nyman in third, went down on one hip near the top of the course in the Talon Turn on Friday but recovered to finish sixth (1:14.10).