BORMIO, Italy (AFP) - Swiss downhiller Didier Cuche will take the drastic step of doubling his slalom training on the glacier this summer as he prepares next season's bid for the overall World Cup title.

Cuche was among several skiers on this season's tough alpine series who succumbed to the Americans as they enjoyed their best season in decades.

The Swiss won the downhill title with a five-point lead over Bode Miller, but the American proved ultimately unbeatable as he used his all-around talents to beat Cuche to the big prize.

Cuche eventually finished in third, behind 2006 overall winner Benjamin Raich of Austria, but he has pledged to increase his efforts in the discipline he likes least in a bid to close the gap.

"Before last season started I must have went round a total of 2000 slalom gates. To finish in the top 15 of the super-combined next year I'll have to line up over 4000 gates in summer training," he told Swiss daily Le Matin.

Cuche also lost the super-G title after some final day drama, but he insists if he'd done better in the combined events (downhill plus a slalom), he would be champion.

"If the combined wasn't part of the equation I would have been the overall World Cup winner and way ahead of Miller, who took 410 points (from the combined) against my pitiful 46."

He will not be alone in hoping he can secure more points from the various disciplines for the all-important overall.

Germany's Maria Riesch finished third overall, behind Austria's runner-up and 2007 winner Nicole Hosp, as American downhill queen Lindsey Vonn handed the US a rare overall double with Miller.

Riesch finished the season as the World Cup queen in super-G and combined, but she lost ground on Vonn in the overall after failing to finish several downhills, in which Vonn was unbeatable.

Giving credence to the 23-year-old's ambitions is her third place overall finish when she was just 19, in 2004 - the same year she won eight medals, including four titles, at the junior world championships.

Vonn has competed with Riesch since both were 16, and already knows what to expect.

"She's a very talented skier, and will be one of my main rivals for the overall in the coming years," said the American, who has often spent Christmas and New Year with the German and her family.

The men's series would not be complete without Raich, and Norway's 2007 champion Aksel Lund Svindal - who has been out since November with injury.

Both will be hoping Miller doesn't make too much progress in setting up a new version of the highly successful 'Team America-Bode' in the wake of two of his coaches deciding to head home for family reasons.

"I'm excited about coming back and giving Bode and Benni a run for their money," said Svindal Saturday, admitting it was a joy to have regained 10kg of the 15kg of muscle lost after his downhill training crash at Beaver Creek.

Raich, the Olympic giant and slalom champion, had a relatively discreet season by his standards, but still managed to finish just 111 points behind Miller.

The Austrian knows mistakes cost him, but he put everything into perspective when comparing his lot to that of compatriot Matthias Lanzinger, who had to have his leg amputated following a crash two weeks ago.

"I made a lot of good races, but I also made a lot of mistakes which meant that in general I didn't race well," said Raich, who also just missed out on the giant slalom title to American Ted Ligety.

"I'm sure I can improve for next season, and become a good competitor against Bode.

"When all things are said and done, I really have no problems when you consider what has happened to Lanzinger.

"And I'm really happy to have heard that in spite of the circumstances he's in pretty good shape."