Nicolas Vouilloz facts for kids
Vouilloz at the 2011 Monte Carlo Rally
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 February 1976 Nice, France |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Mountain biking |
| Role | Rider |
Nicolas Vouilloz (born February 8, 1976) is a famous athlete from France. He is known for being an amazing mountain biker. He also became a professional rally car driver.
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Nicolas Vouilloz: Mountain Biking Legend
Nicolas Vouilloz is often called one of the best downhill mountain bikers ever! He won the Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships an incredible ten times. His first win was as a junior rider in 1992. He continued winning until his tenth victory in 2002.
He also won sixteen World Cup Downhill races. This shows how dominant he was in the sport for many years.
From Bikes to Rally Cars
Nicolas was born in Nice, France. In 2000, he decided to try something new: rally car racing. He started by competing in smaller local races. Soon, he moved on to national rally series.
His first big race in the World Rally Championship was the 2001 Monte Carlo Rally. He drove a Peugeot 206 WRC car. His best finish in the World Rally Championship was ninth place. This happened at the 2004 Wales Rally GB.
Peugeot Sport, a big car company, helped Nicolas with his rally career. They even paired him with an experienced co-driver, Denis Giraudet.
Winning the Intercontinental Rally Challenge
After Peugeot left the World Rally Championship, Nicolas raced full-time in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC). He competed in the IRC from 2007 to 2009. In 2007, he finished second overall, winning three races.
His biggest success in rally racing came in 2008. He won the entire IRC championship that year! He drove a Peugeot 207 S2000. He had one win and six second-place finishes. He also finished in the top five in every race. In 2009, he finished fourth overall in the IRC.
Returning to Mountain Biking
After several years away from mountain biking, Nicolas Vouilloz made a comeback in 2007. He raced professionally again at a World Cup event in Switzerland. Today, he races for Lapierre Ultimate Cycles. He is also involved in the Enduro World Series, which is another type of mountain bike racing.
Major Achievements
- World Cup Downhill Champion: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000
- Downhill World Champion: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002
- Downhill Junior World Champion: 1992, 1993, 1994
See also
In Spanish: Nicolas Vouilloz para niños
