Two World Champion Titles in One Day

The World Championships in Nove Mesto mark a milestone in the history of our team- both Jenny Rissveds and Nino Schurter ride away with the Rainbow jersey.

Not only for SCOTT-Odlo MTB Racing team this world championship is something for the books. An amazing athomsphere with over 20’000 enthusiastic 20’000 spectators will be remembered as the best worlds ever in the 26 year history of mountain biking. To see Jenny Rissveds winning her first ever rainbow jersey and to have Nino Schurter steping on top of the podium besides his big rivals Jaroslav Kulhavy and Julien Absalon will make this day a special one for everybody beeing part of it.

The reigning World Champion Nino Schurter showed nerves of steel. There was such a huge pressure on his shoulders being the top favorite for this race. He knew Jaroslav Kukhavy will be a threat having the crowd behind him and Julien Absalon proofed in the last World Cup in La Bresse that he is more dangerous than ever. Even each one of the top favorites has the Olympic Games in Rio in the back of their heads, the World Championships this year is as important as every other year. What builts more confidence than winning the World Champion title six weeks prior to Olympics?

Olympic Champion Jaroslav Kulhavy impressed with a strong show early in the race. Only Nino Schurter was able to hold on to his wheel. Later on Jaroslav’s country man Ondrej Cink closed the gap to the leading duo. Julien Abslaon was sitting in 4th place, had the leaders always in sight. When Kulhavy slowed down in second lap, N1NO launched a first test with an attack. It looked almost too easy the way he got away. Too early to go solo- he figured- and waited for his competitors to close the gap. By that time also Julien Absalon joined the lead group while Cink had a hard time to hang on.

At all times N1NO looked focused and confident, hammering his new new SCOTT Spark RC 900 World Cup up the steep climbs and ride controled on the technical descents. Apart of the riding skills he showed good instinct finding the right moment to attack a second time shortly after Absalon was able to close the gap to him. It was the winning game plan. After N1NO got a 30 second lead, both Kulhavy and Absalon knew the Gold medal was gone and they where watching each other to fight for Silver. The duel for 2nd went to Kulhavy. Behind Absalon in 3rd there was a huge gap to Cink in 4th, Stephane Tempier in 5th and SCOTT rider Matthias Stirnemann in 6th.

With his 5th pro World Champion title Nino Schurter is now eye to eye with the most successful rider of all times, Julien Absolon. Another mark for the books!

The old and new World Champion stated: “This race went just about perfect from start to finish. This course really suits me (after winning three out of five World Cups in Nove Mesto it’s Nino’s 4th win). I felt strong all through the race and I felt super comfortable on my new race weapon. It’s an amazing fast bike and part of this success. No time to lean back with my home World Cup in Lenzerheide coming up next weekend and Olympics in August. But it sure takes some weight of my shoulders. It feels great to have something in the books this early in the season."

With the World Cup in Lenzerheide, nationals the week later and a HC race on the 2012 Olympic course in London the month of July is packed with racing.