updated 12:35 a.m. ET Jan. 15, 2006

ST. LOUIS - Welcome to Turin, Olympic strangers.

For the first time since 1976, the United States will send three newcomers to figure skating’s biggest event: Johnny Weir, Evan Lysacek and Matt Savoie. After winning his third straight U.S. Figure Skating Championship men’s title, the 21-year-old Weir took notice.

“It is odd to think back to the last Olympics and think it was Tim (Goebel) and Michael (Weiss) and Todd (Eldredge), and now none of them are here,” Weir said Saturday. “It’s a little weird and two of them are still skating.”

Those two, Weiss and Goebel, faltered in the free skate, where Weir wasn’t a world-beater, either, finishing third. But he won the short program and was good enough to join long program winner Lysacek, 20, and the surprising Savoie, 25, on the Olympic squad.

“Having three first-time Olympians is a fresh slate and a new start for U.S. figure skating,” Weir added. “Each of us signify something different than our last Olympics team. We’re all very, very different people and skaters and characters. I think it’s going to be exciting, that there are so many different facets to all of us.”

Especially Weir, who is eccentric even for this sport. He will say almost anything, wear almost anything and attempt almost anything on the ice.

But he wasn’t as majestic as usual Saturday.

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“Being the third-time national champion is really an awesome feat,” Weir said. “I wasn’t quite sure how I would achieve that after the year I’ve had so far.

“The program today definitely wasn’t up to par with my previous two wins. A lot I could have done better.”

Lysacek, the reigning world bronze medalist, won the free skate with 150.44 points and finished second overall at 224.47 to Weir’s 225.34. They were followed by Savoie, whose clutch performance reversed a long downward career spiral.

The champion automatically gets an Olympic spot. Lysacek and Savoie were selected by an international committee from U.S. Figure Skating.

That same committee gave Michelle Kwan a berth on the women’s team, granting her a medical bye. She will join first-time U.S. champion Sasha Cohen and Kimmie Meissner in Turin.

Three-time U.S. men’s champion Weiss was fourth and walked out of the rink even as his marks were being displayed on the scoreboard.

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“Well, that’s it,” Weiss told his coach, Don Laws.

Weir, battled injuries and the need to redesign his programs this season, and his best finish was a third at Cup of Russia. His short program at nationals displayed the same flamboyance and technical skill that should make him a threat at the Olympics.

But the free skate, although pleasant to watch, lacked fizz and earned him 142.06 points, well behind Lysacek and Savoie (149.86). Weir didn’t use all the ice, instead doing his elements — jumps, footwork, spins — in a circular manner. He wasn’t penalized much for it, but it took away from the overall aura of the routine.

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