Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) has announced that it will be competing in a UCI World Cup race for the last time at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland) on September 19 and 21.
The 39-year-old shared the news of his retirement in a social media post, adding: “It was a hell of an experience.”
In the video, Nino Schurter said:
Dear family of mountain bike enthusiasts and beyond. For the past twenty years, I've dedicated my body, mind, and soul to mountain biking. A wonderful sport, but also brutal at the professional level. You either win races, you're a contender, or you're out. There's no room for passengers. It's all or nothing. 24/XNUMX.
“When I ran my first World Championships, I was just a kid chasing a dream in Lugano 2003, and I walked away with my first international medal. What I didn't know then: that dream would accompany me through countless unforgettable moments and allow me to win more than half of all those championships along the way.
It's been a hell of a ride. But now is the time. It's time to let my mind breathe and spend more time with the people who have supported me through it all. This year gives me the perfect farewell. Crans-Montana will be my last XCO World Championships and Lenzerheide, my favorite race, will be my last World Cup. Two home races. I couldn't have planned them better.
“I want to thank all of you: teammates, competitors, fans, and the entire mountain bike community. You made this journey unforgettable. You were the reason I pushed myself to the max. And you were the magic behind the medals.
“I'm not disappearing. I'll keep riding, even racing (but not in the World Cup ribbons) and diving into new projects that I can't wait to share soon. But for now, I'm giving it my all for the last time. See you in Crans-Montana. See you in Lenzerheide. Let's make it legendary.”
The Swiss cyclist is widely regarded as the greatest of all time, having won 10 Olympic World Championships cross-country (XCO) UCI, nine overall UCI XCO World Cup titles, 36 UCI XCO World Cups and bronze, silver and gold medals at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 respectively.
Lenzerheide Not only will it give him a home send-off for his record-extending 132nd UCI XCO World Cup appearance, but with three wins at this venue (2016, 2017 and 2023), it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Schurter come out on top with win number 37, another record.
The retreating star ha aggiunto: “I am incredibly grateful for everything I have achieved in my life as a professional mountain biker. Now it's time to put all this experience into a new chapter of my life. I'm sure what comes from here will be just as exciting. Yes, I'm saying goodbye to World Cup racing. cross-country, but I will remain in the exciting world of cycling with all the fantastic people involved.”
We wish Nino all the best in his retirement from the UCI World Cup circuit!
