Christoph Sauser

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Christoph Sauser's Gear:
  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=12EpicFSR&scid=1100&scname=Mountain

    S-Works Epic

    The fastest, lightest and most efficient performance mountain bikes...

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProductList.jsp?sid=2012EquipHelmetMTB&pscid=1009&scid=1136

    S-Works MTB Helmet

    The lightest certified helmet in the world, worn by 2008 UCI World XC Champion Christoph Sauser...

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProductList.jsp?sid=2012EquipShoesMTB&pscid=1009&scid=1137

    MTB Shoes

    Get the maximum potential out of your power transfer.....

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqSelectSection.jsp?scid=1128&pscid=1009

    Specialized Gloves

    Made to keep your grip sweat-free and your bike control precise ...

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=12SJFSR&scid=1100&scname=Mountain

    Stumpjumper FSR

    Easily the most versatile XC Trail bikes on the market...

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqSCLander.jsp?scid=1008

    Tires

    The product that started it all.....

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  • http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqSelectSection.jsp?scid=1138&pscid=1009

    Saddles

    Medically tested scientifically proven BG saddles...

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S-Works Epic

Christoph is the current UCI Marathon World Champion, a former World Cup overall winner, and Olympic medalist. Following is the story of his sporting background, told from his point of view.

Christoph's personal website is www.sauserwind.com.

"I grew up in a sport oriented family so I had a lot of support and encouragement to participate in many different sports from a young age. Some of my favorite sports when I was young were: rollerhockey, skiing, football and wrestling.

As a child I rode my bike a lot, but only back and forth to school. For me the bike was for transport and not really for pleasure. But I always appreciated that my bicycle was for me an efficient and independent form of transport.

When I saw a mountain bike the first time I got very excited as I could see the big potential of riding off road and having fun on the technical downhills. Before bikes came out with the triple chainring, climbing the steep trails to get to the top of the very fast downhills would have been impossible.

Since I had a long history in competitive sport it was natural for me to wonder what it would be like to race mountain bike. In '91 I found some information on a big mountain bike race in Switzerland called the Grand raid Cristalp. It looked like it was going to be a fun event for my first mountain bike competition. That race is a beautiful ride in the alps with a lot of competitors and for me that was a great experience. So I was excited to race a few more races in '91 and '92.

One night in a bar a friend of mine challenged me to apply for a racing license, and he even offered me to find a team to ride for. I started the '93 season as a member of the Parkpre team. It had just started that year and was perfectly managed. I raced for the Parkpre team for the first five years of my career.

In 1998 a big dream came through and I signed my first contract with a international team, Diamondback. That year was also the first time I stepped on a world cup podium, I won the U23 Euro Champs, plus finished second at worlds in the same category. I was very happy with my position on the team, but unfortunately the sponsorship situation for the next season was a little bit cloudy.

Lucky for me I had an offer from the number one team in the world in the name of Volvo-Cannondale at the end of the season. This of course was something I was very excited about and I had four great years on this team until 2003.

At that time Volvo pulled out of mtb-racing, but with Siemens-Cannondale I found another great team for the following 3 years, which was controlled under a completely different management. Only the bike was more or less the same.

Now I am going into the 4th year with Specialized Factory Racing team. We are a bunch of great people with the focus of racing and professionalism, but having lots of good fun next to it. With Specialized as such an innovative company we have the very best brand in our hands for winning races and being well promoted. We are Specialized!"

Biggest achievements:

Cross Country:
World Champion Italy 2008
Olympic Bronze Medalist Sydney 2000
World Cup Champion Overall 2004+2005
14 World Cup Wins
Vice World Champion 2005 and 2006, 3rd. 2001
Vice Word Cup Overall Champion 2002, 2003, 2008
6 Times Swiss Champion
European Champion U23 1998
Vice World Champion U23 1998

Marathon:
World Champion 2007
European Champion 2007

Achievements

2011 UCI XC Marathon World Champion

Stats

Stumpjumper report

November 10, 2009

Two weeks ago I was racing a 6 day stage race in South Africa as a two man team with

Bobby Behan. Every day around 100km. It was rocky, dusty and plenty of water crossings.

It was very tough on our equipment, and a very good test ground for it.

Bobby carried the luggage and I was the service man for our bikes. Bobby rode the Epic,

me the new Stumpjumper. The official race service washed our bikes down, and I was

looking over it afterwards. Basically I only had to lube it :-) All the bearings stayed

smooth, non got loose! Also our suspension worked great and did not need any work. Not

even lube.

The Stumjumper was the very best bike for it. I really enjoyed the 14cm of travel. But for

real racing like the Cape-Epic stage race, where I am racing for the win it would be too

much of suspension. The problem when I have to sprint out of the saddle and the brain

kicks off and I lose way too much energy into the suspension. Sure for 90% of the riders

who are racing against the clock and not against other fast competitors, the bike is superb,

but for real racing I still prefer the Epic.

It looked like the S-Works Epic was the most common full suspension bike at the race.

I have the feeling that most riders are very sceptical about a 140mm travell bike. They

think this is a „big bike“ and for freeriding only. I am so sure they would have so much

more fun on it, compare to a Epic, not even talking about the hard tails!

Stats for Christoph Sauser are coming soon.
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