In what would be the final year of the Nordic Road Racing championship before it was replaced by the Scandinavian Open, again a single race was all that counted for the title. On a grid slightly more diverse than in 1996, it was still a local rider who took the crown; Denmark's René Prang won comfortably at the Jyllandsringen followed by 1996 runner-up Harri Maikola, reigning Scandinavian Open champion Jörgen Hållinder and Norwegian Knut Arne Færgestad. Four Nordic nations were represented among the 20 competitors in this final championship event.