LAKE LOUISE, Alberta, -- Hermann Maier, back to his winning ways after a life-threatening motorcycle accident, led an Austrian sweep of the top four places in the first men's super-G of the Alpine ski World Cup season on Sunday.

Former Olympic and world champion Maier, who almost lost his right leg in the crash two years ago, produced a storming run to beat teammate Michael Walchhofer, Saturday's downhill winner here, by 0.26 seconds.

"It's unbelievable," beamed a clearly delighted Maier after registering his 43rd career victory. "I am surprised. This is so much more than I expected.

"I was confident today but not (expecting) to win. It's a great day."

Defending overall World Cup champion Stephan Eberharter was third, 0.55 seconds behind Maier's time of 1 minute, 36.69 seconds, with Benjamin Raich fourth in 1:37.64.

Experienced Norwegian Lasse Kjus was the highest-placed non-Austrian, just ahead of Saturday's runnerup Erik Guay, who briefly raised Canadian hopes when he held the early lead.

But there was no denying Maier, who attacked the Olympic course like the Herminator of old, clenching his teeth as he pushed out of the start hut and roaring down the sun-kissed Whitehorn Mountain.

When Maier crossed the finished line and saw his time on the scoreboard he immediately thrust his fists into the air and twirled his ski poles in celebration.

The victory opens another chapter in what has become one of the most remarkable comebacks in all of sport.

After nearly 18 months of intensive therapy, a determined Maier finally made his return to the World Cup in January, stunning the ski world by winning an emotional super-G on home snow just 13 days later in front of thousands of fans in Kitzbuehel.

He followed that effort with a silver medal-winning performance in the same event at the world championships at St Moritz but then had to undergo another operation on his reconstructed leg.

This season did not begin well for the 30-year-old Austrian, who broke a rib in a training crash but raced through the pain to finish 16th in the opening giant slalom last month.

"You cannot compare the emotion here to my win in Kitzbuehel in front of my own country," said Maier, who now has three super-G wins at Lake Louise. "This is different, but it is still worth a lot.

"It was not a total surprise but I did not count on it. I still felt it would take time to find my form."

Maier is now ready to race a full schedule.

"This is my comeback year," he assured. "Next year I hope compete at the highest level if I am not to old."

While Maier insists his comeback has a long way to go before it is complete, a glance at the overall standings would indicate otherwise.

Maier's victory has lifted him into third in the overall standings with 180 points, just 24 back of Walchhofer and 33 behind current leader American Bode Miller.

It was another disappointing day for Miller as he finished 19th to see his advantage in the standings trimmed to just nine points.

But the only regret Miller expressed at the end of his run was that he had not been able watch Maier's impressive charge down the course.

"I wish I wasn't a racer today so I could have watched him coming down the mountain," said Miller. "When he skies this way it is really impressive.

"I have to see the video, it must have been something special."

Information from SportsTicker was used in this report.