1998 World Cup Mountain Biking
Downhill Finals
Dual #8
Arai City, Japan
August 30-31, 1998

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Welcome to Arai

Final stop, Japan. Downhill’s world cup finals arrived in Tokyo last week with several hundred riders and staff exhausted from a long season of racing. Word around the circuit was that no one was too psyched about flying all the way to Japan for a weekend race, and on a course no one had ever ridden. Okay, it represented the fifth and final continent left unvisited by the UCI downhill world cup, but really, couldn’t we have had the finals in Europe?

No, and The Zone is here to tell you why. We returned to Japan mere months after covering the Nagano Games like a wet blanket, checking in to our press hotel an hour north of the Olympic town in Arai City. One week later, both our intrepid reporters (as well as a pair of Sunn-Un riders) are testament to the fact that this was the most memorable race of the season. A looming typhoon, constant rain and huge magnums of champagne ensured that indeed nothing was dry in Arai.

Turn up the ACC

The racing was an epic battle for the world cup title, fought this week in the slickest, sickest conditions of the year. Anne-Caroline Chausson and Nicolas Vouilloz (FRA, Sunn-Un) waged hard and came away with their third straight double-victory, a pair of world cup titles and a trade team championship to boot. All this amid the most enthusiastic and hospitable crowds ever seen in mountain bike racing. It was that good.

Mud was the word of the day as a steady rain fell in qualifying, then stopped in time for the finals. That’s bad - no rain means serious mud, and the slip factor was as bad as it gets. Nearly 15,000 spectators didn’t seem to mind though, lining the course top to bottom and cheering loudly for their heroes. Add the tireless efforts of organizers and a state o’ the art venue, and it made for a serious case of perma-smiles.

The Missile site

Chausson ruled the women again, this time to the tune of 27 long seconds ahead of French beauty Nolvenn LeCaer (FRA, GT). Chausson ran both the quali and final on the ragged edge, not slowing down a minute. Even a minute, though, wouldn’t have been enough for second overall Missy Giove (USA, Volvo- Cannondale), who could only manage a 7th place. Her overall title is Chausson’s first — a hard-fought crown to an impeccable season.

Air Nico Vouilloz

Vouilloz already had a pair of world cup crystal Waterford trophies on his bookshelf, but took advantage of this season’s significant advantage over runner-up David Vazquez (ESP, Volvo-Cannondale). Nico leaves no doubt that he’s the Muhammed Ali of mountain biking. He qualified fastest this weekend, wanting to end his season "spectacularly."

Overalls

Riding with self-described "panache," Nico slowed down to assure the title, riding conservatively in the dense muck. He still beat teammate Mickael Pascal (FRA, Sunn-Un) by two seconds and further increased his stock in the open market — his search for a new team progressing along nicely.

Vazquez, meanwhile, crashed in the final and finished dead last. Other strong rides came courtesy of Cèdric Gracia (FRA, Sunn-Un) and a surprisingly fast run for Aussie Sean McCarroll (Giant). The stories overheard in the finish paddock alone were worth the trip, each rider describing his or her own hellacious story of survival on this Japanese "typhoon" course.

Best Dual of Season
Lopes Catapults, Miller Untouchable
Saturday evening’s Dual was similar to the season’s other events only in format. With over 8,000 fans lining a nighttime course (lit by a bank of floodlights) and stellar action, the sight of Brian Lopes winning both the race and series was almost too much for the crowd to take.

Lopes starred

Along with Lopes catapulting past Dave Cullinan, who had been 10 points in the lead, Katrina Miller maintained her perfect season to win yet again and take the women’s title. No one was even close to Miller, who rode the course with speed, a concept seemingly foreign to most women dualists.

Miller time

Japanese fans had more killer cameras than the press it seemed, and lit up the night sky with a bank of white light, which completely blinded their high- flying heroes. It didn’t matter though, because somehow they landed their jumps and pedaled through the mud on a wet and slippery course. The rains held off through the event, letting loose with a downpour right as the awards began.

There was no doubt that this was the best Dual of the season, and one of the best dual/DS races ever. A bit more light would have helped, but the organizers here are quick learners and will have it dialed next time.

—Rich Neare, with one eye on the weather channel, representing The Mountain Zone.