For the 50,000 fans who cram into this charming stone town in the Ardennes Forest each summer, the point isn't so much who wins at Houffalize. They're more concerned with other, more important things. Like how are the two Belgians, Filip Meirhaeghe and Roel Paulissen doing? Where is the nearest beer stand, friterie... waffle stand? Sausage anyone?

The point is more the enjoyment of mountain bike racing, and experiencing the very pinnacle of the circuit for the 11th-straight year. If ever there was a classic of mountain bike racing, Houffalize in Belgium is it.

Ensconced in a river valley and surrounded by the ever-changing green forests of the Ardennes, Houffalize oozes Euro coolness. The Battle of the Bulge was fought right here (the Allies bombed the town to smithereens). Why there's even a German Tiger tank at the town's entrance, and the trappiste ales of A'Chouffe, Chimay, Leffe and Ciney are flowing from every tap. This place is ground zero of "the experience."

That's why Christoph Sauser (SUI, Volvo Cannondale) says that he "dreamed" of one day winning here. "I saw all the TV and how much attention winners got here - and the crowds - and I was jealous," he said. Mind you, he was sitting with a large cow-print top-hat on his head when he said this, emblazoned with his sponsor Credit-Suisse. Give him style points.

And give him and Marga Fullana (ESP, Orbea) World Cup points, because they both won their races here Sunday, battling the largest crowds of competitors and spectators we've seen in years to dominate this melee of a race. The rains threatened during the women's race and began lightly during the men, but thankfully waited until after the podiums to finally let loose, turning the already green hills even greener as our two European XC World Cups wrapped up.

— Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Correspondent