It was a home win for Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) in the cross-country (XCO) at the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lenzerheide while world champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) claimed the men's World Cup race. Still, the star of the show was the rider who came over the line in 24th place, a retiring Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team).
The Swiss rider with Olympic gold, nine UCI World Cup overall titles, ten UCI World Championship wins and 36 World Cup race victories had announced last month that he would say his goodbye to the sport before the end of the season, giving his Swiss fans a chance to bid farewell on home soil.
"It’s a lot right now. I definitely underestimated this whole retirement thing," said Schurter on social media on the run in . But as Schurter then added, 'Sunday is all about celebration'.
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The fans made the most of it, with a deafening cheer as the 39-year-old crossed the line of a World Cup for the final time and chants of Nino, Nino, Nino ringing across the course. Through the last lap the rider who was for so long a dominant force in the sport was no longer focused on racing,but now that the final bell had rung and there was no risk of getting pulled from the course, he could enjoy the tributes from the crowd.
"It’s super-cool. I’m so thankful for everything, it was an amazing career and it feels so good,” said Schurter.
“It’s better than I could ever imagine. Today was a beautiful day, it was again hard for me. I was scared of the 80% rule, so I had to push hard to get through the race.”
After enjoying the final lap he came through the line three minutes and 27 seconds after winner Hatherly, who took off alone early and pulled out his lead to a four-rider chase group to a minute by the final lap. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) was putting on the pressure as Hatherly had to fight through issues with his chain, twice having to dismount but still making it to the line with a 32 second gap to second-placed Aldridge.
"I was really hungry to get a win," said Hatherly. "This is my final World Cup of the season, unfortunately, so I wanted to do the jersey justice and go out on top."
Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) was third while series leader Christopher Blevins suffered from early mechanical issues and finished 27th, narrowing his series lead to 290 points ahead of Specialized Factory Racing teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossman, who came fifth in Switzerland.
In the earlier women's elite race Keller had given the home crowds the perfect start on Sunday, launching on the penultimate lap to claim her second career World Cup XCO win, the first coming in 2022. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) was in hot pursuit initially but then a puncture dented her run.
Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV), who was out front early in the race, instead came second 16 seconds behind Keller. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), who had also had time in the lead on Sunday but crashed when she went to adjust her sunglasses, was third. Richards secured fourth in the action-packed race after changing her wheel.
“It’s amazing with everyone here, the family and the team," said Keller of the home win. "The race was crazy, first Puck [Pieterse] crashed in front of me and I basically rode over her, I couldn’t do anything.
“Savilia [Blunk] was so strong, but she somehow crashed and then there was two of us. Jenny made such a strong effort. I tried to go into the long uphill first and I had a little gap. I just suffered until the finish line. It was totally worth it.”
Series leader Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) came sixth, with her overall standings tally now at 1,913, a 323-point gap to second-placed Rissveds
