‘Sunday is all about celebration’ – Nino Schurter bids farewell as Alessandra Keller and Alan Hatherly claim Lenzerheide Mountain Bike World Series XCO wins

It was a house win for Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) within the cross-country (XCO) on the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Sequence in Lenzerheide whereas world champion Alan Hatherly (Large Manufacturing facility Off-Street Staff – XC) claimed the boys’s World Cup race. Nonetheless, the star of the present was the rider who came to visit the road in twenty fourth place, a retiring Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Staff).

The Swiss rider with Olympic gold, 9 UCI World Cup total titles, ten UCI World Championship wins and 36 World Cup race victories had introduced final month that he would say his goodbye to the game earlier than the top of the season, giving his Swiss followers an opportunity to bid farewell on house soil.

“It’s loads proper now. I undoubtedly underestimated this entire retirement factor,” stated Schurter on social media on the run in . However as Schurter then added, ‘Sunday is all about celebration’.

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The followers made probably the most of it, with a deafening cheer because the 39-year-old crossed the road of a World Cup for the ultimate time and chants of Nino, Nino, Nino ringing throughout the course. By the final lap the rider who was for therefore lengthy a dominant pressure within the sport was now not centered on racing,however now that the ultimate bell had rung and there was no danger of getting pulled from the course, he may benefit from the tributes from the gang.

“It’s super-cool. I’m so grateful for the whole lot, it was an incredible profession and it feels so good,” stated Schurter.

“It’s higher than I may ever think about. In the present day was a good looking day, it was once more exhausting for me. I used to be frightened of the 80% rule, so I needed to push exhausting to get by the race.”

After having fun with the ultimate lap he got here by the road three minutes and 27 seconds after winner Hatherly, who took off alone early and pulled out his result in a four-rider chase group to a minute by the ultimate lap. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Manufacturing facility Racing) was placing on the strain as Hatherly needed to battle by points along with his chain, twice having to dismount however nonetheless making it to the road with a 32 second hole to second-placed Aldridge.

“I used to be actually hungry to get a win,” stated Hatherly. “That is my closing World Cup of the season, sadly, so I needed to do the jersey justice and exit on prime.”

Adrien Boichis (Specialised Manufacturing facility Racing) was third whereas sequence chief Christopher Blevins suffered from early mechanical points and completed twenty seventh, narrowing his sequence result in 290 factors forward of Specialised Manufacturing facility Racing teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossman, who got here fifth in Switzerland.

Within the earlier ladies’s elite race Keller had given the house crowds the proper begin on Sunday, launching on the penultimate lap to assert her second profession World Cup XCO win, the primary coming in 2022. Evie Richards (Trek Manufacturing facility Racing – Pirelli) was in scorching pursuit initially however then a puncture dented her run.

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Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV), who was out entrance early within the race, as a substitute got here second 16 seconds behind Keller. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Staff), who had additionally had time within the lead on Sunday however crashed when she went to regulate her sun shades, was third. Richards secured fourth within the action-packed race after altering her wheel.

“It’s wonderful with everybody right here, the household and the workforce,” stated Keller of the house win. “The race was loopy, first Puck [Pieterse] crashed in entrance of me and I principally rode over her, I couldn’t do something.

“Savilia [Blunk] was so sturdy, however she by some means crashed after which there was two of us. Jenny made such a powerful effort. I attempted to enter the lengthy uphill first and I had a bit hole. I simply suffered till the end line. It was completely price it.”

Sequence chief Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Staff) got here sixth, together with her total standings tally now at 1,913, a 323-point hole to second-placed Rissveds