VIKERSUND, Norway — Anssi Koivuranta of Finland has closed in on the overall World Cup title by holding off Bill Demong of the U.S. to win a Nordic combined event.

Koivuranta won the ski jumping portion and then managed to protect his lead in the 10-kilometer cross-country race on Saturday, finishing in 26 minutes, 3.9 seconds. Demong, the American large hill world champion from Vermontville, N.Y., finished 6.5 seconds back after starting the cross-country race with a deficit of 1:25 to Koivuranta.

Norway's Magnus Moan was third, 13.2 seconds behind.

Koivuranta leads Moan by 99 points with just one race remaining. That means Moan must win Sunday's finale, while Koivuranta finishes outside the points, to overtake the Finn. Demong is third overall, 369 points behind Koivuranta.