Nick Beer (Switzerland) (Image credit: Tour of Japan)
The Swiss Cycling Federation named Albert Iten as its new national downhill and four cross mountain bike coach on Tuesday in Ittigen. He replaces departing coach Ernst Schurter and is charged with developing Swiss gravity-racing talent. Switzerland is already a powerhouse in cross country and endurance mountain bike racing thanks to riders like former and current World Champions Christoph Sauser and Nino Schurter.
In his own racing career, Iten was successful in downhill and cross country mountain biking and in cyclo-cross. The now 37-year-old was the European Champion in both downhill and cross country in 1992. Iten, who resides in Oberägeri, won the World Championship downhill title in 1991. In addition, he placed on other podiums at international championships.
After his retirement from the sport in the mid-90s, Iten took a step away from elite sport professionally though he remained linked closely to cycling in his private life. The current owner of an electronics-related company is newly charged with the mission of developing the Swiss Cycling potential in downhill and four cross.
"Swiss Cycling thanks Ernst Schurter for his tremendous commitment in recent years and looks forward to working with Albert Iten. We wish him success and motivation for this new challenge," read a statement by the federation issued Tuesday.
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
