Event: World Cup Finals This Weekend

Schladming, Austrian, a veritable temple to slalom skiing every winter, will play host to World Cup finals for the second time in its history this weekend. The season-long World Cup Season will reach a finale on the very same slopes that cater to the slalom elite--minus the snow of course.

Cross-country, downhill and four-cross series races will come to conclusion for the 2008 season. In some cases the overall winners have already been chosen and in others, this weekend is going to a down-to-the-wire spectacle of competitive mountain biking.

Julien Absalon, the winner of five rounds of XC events (Houffalize, Offenburg, Madrid, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Bromont), and double Olympic Champion, has already won the series for the fourth time. But he will be on hand to race and place yet another mark in the record books.

Marie-Hélène Prémont also arrives in Austria with the crystal trophy in her pocket. The winner in Fort-William and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Premont has a large enough point advantage that she will win regardless of the outcome. During the first round in Houffalize, she announced that 2008 would be her last season. Might this victory make her change her mind, or will she end things on a high note?

In four cross, the World Champion, Rafael Alvarez de Lara, is very close to series victory. The World Champion would love to end his season adding the World Cup to his list of accomplishments. But after an injury in Australia two weeks ago, he will compete under the constant threat of German rider, Guido Tschugg in a very competitive field including Jared Graves, Dan Atherton and Cedric Gracia.

Anneke Beerten will ride to World Cup victory without any pressure. The Dutch rider of the MS-Intense Racing team will win her second World Cup in the four cross.

Downhill will undoubtably be the source of lots of excitement this weekend. Sam Hill (Monster Energy Iron Horse), second in the overall ranking, at the moment, has no choice but to win. The Australian has already won the event three times, but a poor performance at the Canberra two weeks ago places him at a disadvantage to the current point leader: Greg Minnaar.

Sabrina Jonnier (Team Maxxis) also needs to win as well and hope for a bad performance from her nearest competitor, Rachel Atherton, to win the World Cup. Atherton won three times this season (in Vallnord, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Bromont), as well as World Championships. She's the youngest of the Atherton clan and without a doubt wants to conclude a perfect season by winning her first World Cup overall.

Be sure to watch the live video feed here at Bikemag.com and check back Monday for results, photos and a race report from Schladming.

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