Nino Schurter and Mathias Fluckiger were leading the last few meters and proved to be the strongest: continuous skirmishes between the 2, even if it must be said that they never managed to make a void on Luca Braidot and Alan Hatherly, who continually made from elastic.
RACE REPLAY AND REPORT LENZERHEIDE 2022
Between Nino Schurter and Mathias Fluckiger there had been skirmishes before, you see the episode of Lenzerheide just the year before (or in Val di Sole at the world championships). Today Nino Schurter was extremely motivated: he felt the victory and that victory would lead him to be themost victorious athlete in the history of MTB surpassing Julien Absalon. But it's not the time yet.
LENZERHEIDE 2021
Here's what exactly happened the year before Lenzerheide.
In fact, during the last climb, Nino Schurter attacks but Fluckiger slips him into the curve on the brow before the last descent. Luca Braidot is glued to the 2 in third position. On the way down though Nino Schurter takes the lead and, in the last corners before the arrival, Mathias Fluckiger tries to put the world champion but they touch and fall (it was a part of the route not covered by the cameras, as soon as we have some amateur videos we will not be long in updating the article) .
Nino Schurter he arrived at the finish visibly impressed by what happened, gesturing very angry with his DS Frischknecht, but he made no statement on the matter. To speak was Mathias Fluckiger, forced after finishing on the podium in 3rd place (remember that Nino Schurter finished in 4th position).
Mathias made it clear, in our opinion, that it was his fault but it is part of the race: "He passed me very close the last time he passed me. And in the last overtaking we crashed", Fluckiger reports to Red Bull TV microphones,"This is the race. We have swapped positions several times. Schurter passed me very close last volta. And in the last overtaking we crashed. I'm sorry that things turned out this way. We all wanted to aim for victory. That's how it went".
THE VERSION OF NINO SCHURTER
A frustrated Schurter, to the microphones of Swiss TV, then gave an explanation, even if he did not take his compatriot Flückiger willingly: “He wanted to overtake me at a point where it was not possible and he knocked me down. It's just sad. I would have won for sure ”. And he continued: “This is a very bad answer from him. Such a thing shouldn't happen in a World Cup in Switzerland ”. Furthermore, he did not dissociate himself from accusing Flückiger of intentionality: the Bernese had had to give the victory to Schurter in the final sprint of the Grisons the year before: "I interpret him in such a way that he has not yet come to terms with this defeat" .
UPDATED: Here you are Fluckiger's answer
