Canada -- which hosts the 2010 Games -- had its best ever Winter Olympics with 24 medals, including seven golds, and boasted the most prolific medalist in Turin, speedskater Cindy Klassen, who won a gold, two silvers and two bronze.
Sweden capped its most successful Winter Games by beating neighboring Finland 3-2 in the men's ice hockey final, giving the country its seventh gold and 14th medal overall in Turin.
Austria, China and South Korea also had their best ever performances in Winter Olympics.
Despite Di Centa's gold Sunday, host Italy won only 11 medals, well down on its record 20 at the Lillehammer Games in 1994.
Di Centa finished in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 11.8 seconds, only eight-tenths of a second ahead of Eugeni Dementiev of Russia.
"I usually finish second in World Cup races but today I performed really well and I achieved a fantastic victory, especially because we are Italy," said Di Centa. "I had been thinking and planning the race for a long time."
Mikhail Botwinov of Austria took the bronze, a positive ending for the embattled Austrian cross-country skiers and biathletes after they were subjects of a doping investigation by the Italian authorities and the IOC. The Botwinov was coached by Walter Mayer four years ago at the Salt Lake City Olympics, where Botwinov won silver in the 30km race.
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