Cross-country mountain bike racing isn’t what it used to be. Take any aspect of the race, and that statement holds true. From race length to course demands, bikes to race tactics. For the past 21 years, one theme remained constant: Nino Schurter’s presence on the podium.
Last weekend in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, that era ended. Schurter’s career stretched across three generations of rivals, from Julien Absalon to Tom Pidcock. He adapted, evolved, and often outperformed them all. But more than his 36 World Cup wins or 10 rainbow jerseys, his legacy is how he transformed cross-country itself. He turned endurance duels into technical, explosive, must-watch battles.
For me, Schurter was XC. Before I got into road racing, mountain biking was what I found myself doing, every second I wasn’t in school. Granted, where I lived would barely qualify as mountain biking – more like chunky gravel. But still, digging jumps in the woods and heading out on my own adventures is what got me hooked on the world of cycling.
There is no doubt in my mind that Schurter was the catalyst for it all. From my living room, it appeared to me that he single-handedly shook the XC world to its core. He pushed the descents, made audacious moves and was one of the very few riders to dominate male XCO so convincingly. Courses changed, and so did his rivals. The script for what an XC rider needed to be was torn up, and I was all about it.
In my opinion, he wasn’t just winning races; he was reshaping them. Schurter’s mix of explosivity, audacity, and downhill-level skill forced rivals, courses, and the sport itself to evolve. If modern cross-country is sharper, faster, and more watchable, much of it traces back to one Swissman.
It is hard to overstate the role Schurter played in forming modern XCO, and even without him on the start line, he will be the yardstick of excellence for generations to come.
The numbers don’t lie
When the dust settles on Nino Schurter’s career, the numbers alone tell a story that no one else has come close to telling. In a sport where a single World Cup win can define a rider’s season and sustain their career for many more, Schurter made winning look routine. His tally of 36 World Cup XCO victories will stand the test of time for years to come; the closest active rider to his record is Tom Pidcock, currently on eight XCO wins.
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