Specialized Athlete Christoph Sauser wins World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy

“I was the best rider in the world, riding the best bike in the world.”

June 22, 2008 – Morgan Hill, CA   The flying Christoph Sauser today claimed his first world cross-country title following numerous podiums, a marathon world championship, two world cup overall titles, and thirteen world cup wins.  This is a title he truly deserved.

Today’s race was special for many reasons.  This is the race that has always eluded Christoph, and he not only took the Gold, but he also debuted the brand new Specialized Epic.

Specialized has worked hard to deliver a bike to Christoph to satisfy his demands to have the best and most up-to-date technology. After saving nearly 700 grams from his already-race-wining Epic, Specialized has pulled out all the stops.  This new bike combines great weight savings and also incorporates total suspension integration, a new flow control brain in front with the E100 fork, and a new lighter AFR shock in the rear.  This combination showed today that this formula offers the best in both efficiency and control in a great race winning package. This bike represents a huge technological advancement in full suspension race bikes.

Christoph proved he is was on-form when, on lap two, the Swiss pair of Sauser and Vogel  started to turn up the pace, and Kessiakoff was starting to  look like he was in trouble.  By lap three, Sauser had opened up a twenty-second gap over Vogel.  On one of the climbs, Sauser made a comment to Bobby Behan, the team manager, “Bobby, I am in standby mode.”  As the raced progressed, the lead grew to nearly three minutes by the finish.

At the finish, a truly overjoyed Suaser was asked about his new bike:  ”on climbs it is like a jet fighter taking off, and on descents it is like a jumbo jet landing.  Today I was the best rider in the world, riding the best bike in the world,” Christoph said.

Nic Sims
Specialized Bicycles