Flashback 1996: When Marcus Klausmann almost became overall World Cup winner
Laurin Lehner
· 20.01.2025
Marcus Klausmann is Germany's most successful downhill racer. The man from Baden is a 15-time German champion. He ended his racing career in 2016 due to cardiac arrhythmia. Today, the 47-year-old supports his son Levin off the race track and offers tuning and service for suspension components under his Klausmann Suspension label.
Review 1996
In 1996, guys like Nico Vouilloz, John Tomac and Shaun Palmer dominated the rankings in the Downhill World Cup. And another name appeared high up in the rankings - a German: Marcus Klausmann.
The man from Baden was just 19 years old and still wore braces. It was the time when the World Cup was broadcast live on Eurosport, handlebars snapped like wooden sticks during races, frames broke and the downhill bikes had just 140 millimetres of suspension travel.
The young Klausmann travelled the world with his Hot Chili "X-Rage"; Papa Klausmann took care of the race set-up. "1996 was my year. I was very close to the top of the world," recalls Marcus.
The World Cup remained exciting until the last race. The final took place on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Klausmann wanted to fight for the downhill crown in the tropical jungle. But Mike King, Shaun Palmer and Thomas Misser - and above all Nico Vouilloz - also wanted to do the same.
The descent started in the rainforest and then led over high-speed passages on mostly loamy ground into the valley. Some riders quickly realised that it always started to rain in the afternoon. "You could set your watch by it. It started to piss at two o'clock sharp," recalls Marcus afterwards.
Unfortunately, he didn't realise it himself at the time. The rain turned the clay surface into a slippery track - as if laminate had been polished with Vaseline. Many drivers deliberately dawdled in qualifying in order to start the final as early as possible and still in the dry.
Klausmann, on the other hand, stepped on the gas. "I gave it my all - I was a dork," says Marcus. In the final, it happened as it had to. The calculations of riders like Miles Rockwell and John Tomac worked out. Thanks to their poor qualifying times, they started early in the final when the ground was still dry and grippy. Marcus, on the other hand, started late.
The track was now glistening with wetness - and Marcus crashed in the goo. Nevertheless, it was enough for 11th place. His rival Nico Vouilloz finished in 9th place. "I only had to beat Vouilloz to become the overall World Cup winner," says Marcus.
In the end, he came second, but he still didn't make it onto the podium: after the race, Klausmann took a short nap in his caravan - and completely missed the award ceremony.
Interview with Marcus Klausmann
BIKE: Marcus, how often did you get annoyed about your strategy mistake afterwards?
MARCUS KLAUSMANN: Phew, often. I remember Miles Rockwell coming up to me after the race and saying: "Tell me, didn't you realise? It rains here from two o'clock". But it has to be said that Nico Vouilloz felt the same as me. So it was a fair duel.
You finished fifth in the world championship that year, but things didn't go so smoothly the following season.
That's true. I switched to the wrong team. In hindsight, I see that as the biggest mistake of my career. The bike wasn't bad, but the material didn't come close to that of the competition, the atmosphere in the team was bad and there was no money in my account. To top it all off, I got sick and had to miss races.
What advice would you give your 19-year-old self today?
Don't believe everything you're promised and read the small print carefully.
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Laurin Lehner
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