Count ’em

After winning his tenth World Championship title, Nico Vouilloz has announced his retirement from “traditional” downhill racing. And who can blame him? At a press conference at Grenoble-Saint Nizier, Vouilloz said, “Many possibilities are offered to me for some time, but the recent conquest of this 10th World Champion title and the days which followed definitively helped my choices. This 2nd Open of Grenoble – Saint Nizier will be my last participation in a traditional downhill race.”

It’s not the last we’ll see of him, though. In the style of Ned Overend, he’s quitting one discipline only to take on another:

“I am moving onto another discipline: the long distance downhill with the will to become the number one. My profession, but above all my pleasure, it is to ride my bike. So after fighting against the clock, I will compete in mass events against direct opponents, in the middle of my public.”

So expect to see Nico competing in mass-start DH marathons like the Megavalanche events and their ilk. He’ll be the one near the front.

Other stuff in the Vouilloz pipeline include working on product development both for his own Vouilloz brand and for other companies. He’s also planning to do more motor rallying. So Steve Peat can breath a sigh of relief but Colin McRae might want to look over his shoulder…