2003 MTB World championships - CM

Lugano, Switzerland, August 30 - September 7, 2003

Results    Marathon    Team Relay    Cross Country    Downhill    Four Cross    Other events

September 6 - Downhill

Chausson & Vouilloz look to continue domination on steep, tight course

The downhill this year is steep and tight with lots of rocky outcrops and tight turns contend with. It starts midway up Monte Tamaro at 1140m and descends the mountain to Rivera, 640 metres below. Like the cross country course, it will certainly suit to more technically advanced downhillers.

Unmatched in the women's event for the past seven years is Anne Caroline Chausson. She started her winning streak in Cairns, Australia in 1996 and hasn't been beaten since. Right on her heels is Fionn Griffiths (Great Britain) who brings with her the confidence she may need to stop the streak. Griffiths recently won the NORBA series overall when she defeated Marla Streb (USA) in the final round on a wet and technical course. Griffiths told cyclingnews after the event that she was ready for this year's world champs. “I am a very confident person when it comes to my riding, and after this I can go to World Championships with more of that confidence.” Other challengers for Chausson will be Marielle Saner (Switzerland) who is currently ranked number one on the UCI score board, Sabrina Jonnier (France) and Tracey Mosely (Great Britain).

In the men's downhill a similar situation appears. For the last eight years Frenchman Nicolas Vouilloz has won all but one Downhill World Championship events. His streak was only broken in Spain in 2000 when Myles Rockwell (USA) took the win. Up against Vouilloz will be Steve Peat, who has been runner-up for the past three years and proved his form recently at the final NORBA event. Also watch for Chris Kovarik (Australia), current UCI leader Mikael Pascal (France), David Lopez Vasquez (Spain) and Nathan Rennie (Australia).

Finals

Coming!

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