1999 World Cup Mountain Biking
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Vouilloz and Chausson Take 2nd Consecutive Titles Kaprun, Austria: DH#8, DS#8 Everyone knew it was coming, but this weekend the Diesel-UCI World Cup downhill series was officially locked up by the dynamic duo of racing, France's Nicolas Vouilloz and Anne-Caroline Chausson. In a rain-influenced final round in front of thousands of boisterous Austrian fans, the downhill season ended this weekend just as it had begun - with Nico and A-C wearing the leader's jerseys. Chausson also won round eight itself Sunday, with victors also including first-time winner Gerwin Peters in the men's division, and Katrina Miller and Eric Carter securing both the wins and overall titles in Dual racing Saturday. With such a huge venue, crowds, and amount at stake, the finals are always a big deal - this weeend was no exception.
It's now 4.8 km long, still with a long grassy run in its mid-section. Riders seem to love it or hate it. Chausson, for instance, hates it and says she'll quit the sport if it becomes a World's course in its present configuration, but top-qualifying Marla Streb loves it. Just depends on who you ask. Regardless of the course, the venue was awesome - now moved to the center of the village with a huge tech area, beer tents and easy access to the track. Eurosport was going live again this week, and up to 8,000 spectators paid admission to see it all. Weather had been dry for several days, a Thursday night shower giving way to sunny skies Friday and Saturday. The conditions, however, would not last...
Downhill Women: After Chausson arrived at the finish, she got comfortable watching the live TV feed, as she waited for the world's other best women to make a run at her time - something she says she hates to do because she doesn't know if she'll win or not. Soon though it became clear that she would win. Rain began falling mid-way through the race with just nine of the best women waiting at the top of the hill. The wet conditions not only made the roots and rocks slippery, it also bogged down the long grassy section, and made it physically impossible for anyone to beat AC's time of 7:22. Streb wound up crashing five times in her run, Giove twice - giving the race to those women who completed their runs in the dry. That accounts for the less-than-familiar top-five finishers. Just as the women's event completed, the rain stopped and Chausson explained how tough this season had been, and how much she likes racing for her new Volvo-Cannondale squad. She beat Giove with consistent excellence, winning seven of the eight rounds this year - Giove won one. Chausson is now is obliged to go to the NORBA finals this weekend in Mt. Snow, but may be a bit off her game, as she is exhausted from the long season.
Downhill Men: Peat qualified fastest, Pascal second and Vouilloz third... a familiar scenario for a great final race. Everything was in place, except the crazy Austrian weather which again unleashed a steady rain half way through the lineup. Just as 4th-ranked Gerwin Peters finished his run with a then-fastest time, the skies got damp and the track slick. Nico's girlfriend Sandrine informed us that she spoke to him by radio, and he wasn't too happy with the conditions - plus it would turn out he had chosen the wrong tire. The men's race then became a carbon copy of the women's, with those riders who made it down dry winding up on the podium. And what of the top-ranked men? They all slid right out of the running, except for France's Gracia and Pascal, both of whom managed to make the top ten. A couple Swedes made the podium, a German and one very happy Dutchman.
Vouilloz therefore took his fourth World Cup title, to go with his myriad World Championships. While he didn't get the close race he wanted with Peat, he can sleep easy knowing he is again the best anywhere. And his competition will no doubt lose sleep, trying to figure out how to get the Alien.
Swatch Dual World Series:
Men's racing saw Eric Carter slip past Brian Lopes for the series title, reminiscent of Lopes doing the same to David Cullinan last season in Japan. But this year it was Lopes who missed not only the win, but the entire race due to an injured ankle. Lopes hurt his ankle last week in Bromont, and rather than risking both the World Cup and NORBA championship, he opted to sit out this series and heal for this weekend's NCS event. The decision was unfortunate, as Brian gave the series to the white-hot Carter. Carter, who took 2nd last week in the dual, won handily over Mike King in the final run to pass Lopes in the overall points race and capture the series championship. All the more impressive considering that Carter was himself injured in round two, but healed enough to finish the season with the speed needed. Lopes' teammate Cedric Gracia hoped he could take out Carter in the quarter-finals, but the luck of the draw didn't see the two meet until the semi's... and Carter beat him anyway. Gracia went on to beat Michal Marosi in the consolation run. The downhill season may be over until Worlds, but World Cup racing continues in two weeks with the XC finals in Belgium. The U.S. finals are this week in Vermont - we'll see you there! MountainZone.com Correspondents, feelin' strict in Austria and missing planes in Munich. [World Cup Home]
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