NICO VOUILLOZ: IN CONVERSATION WITH THE GREATEST DOWNHILL RACER OF ALL TIME
With three junior and seven elite downhill world titles to his name Nico Vouilloz was very much the dominant figure in male downhill racing during the mid 90’s and into the early part of the new millennium.
Unlike his rivals the young French racer was a quiet and unassuming rider and not one for partying or styling it to please the crowd.
His raw talent and cautiously smooth riding style made him almost unbeatable, especially when it came to World Championships, which frustrated the hell out of his rivals.
But at just 26-years of age he retired from racing whilst still wearing the rainbow stripes and took on a successful sojourn as a rally car driver.
That’s not so say that he ever stopped riding; like most of us the trails run through his very soul, and after a while he returned to semiserious racing with his new employer Lapierre Bikes, where he’s heavily involved in technical development and in the running of their enduro team.
Steve Thomas: How did you get into mountain biking?
I was doing a bit of motocross and some trials but it was so complicated to go on a dedicated track – I always needed my dad or someone
