Winter Olympics: American bad boy Bode Miller blew his big chance of a first Olympic gold medal after being disqualified from the first slalom run in the combined.

Miller, who was hot favourite after finishing the downhill section of the discipline with a commanding 0.32 seconds lead over second-placed Didier Defago, straddled a gate and was ruled out before the second run.

The frequently controversial 28-year-old, who clinched two silvers in Salt Lake City in 2002, left the course shaking his head aware that his best opportunity had gone begging.

Miller caused a storm last month by admitting that he sometimes skis while still drunk after a long night.

And he angered his Italian Olympic hosts by refusing to stay in the athletes' village because of the size of the beds.