Everyone is chasing Nino: World Cup in the starting blocks

This Friday the starting signal for the mountain bike world cup in the Olympic discipline of cross country will be given in Albstadt in Germany. While a short track race (a short competition where the top 40 in the world rankings fight for the best starting positions for the actual race) takes place on the first day, things get serious for the elite drivers on Sunday.

The top favorite Then the hunt for Nino Schurter begins. The Swiss goes into the new season as the reigning overall World Cup winner and world champion. At the age of 33, he has won everything there is to win in mountain biking, is an Olympic champion and eight-time world champion. The challengers “Nino is the measure of all things, he is the hunted,” Gerhard Kerschbaumer also knows. The vice world champion from Verdings is one of Schurter's big challengers. Last season, the 27-year-old came second three times and took his first World Cup victory in Vallnord (Andorra) - ahead of Schurter. Familiar picture: Nino Schurter on the highest podium. © on

One of the Swiss's biggest challengers is likely to be Mathieu van der Poel. The Dutchman is a phenomenon. For years he has been racing as an all-rounder in road races, cross-country races and mountain bikes. He achieved his final breakthrough with the bike last season when he landed on the podium three times and took second place in the overall World Cup behind Schurter. Van der Poel has dominated cross-country (cyclo-cross) for many years, and a few weeks ago he also won the road classic “Amstel Gold Race”. Van der Poel wants to complete all of the World Cup races this season. Mathieu van der Poel recently won the “Amstel Gold Race”. © APA/afp / MARCEL VAN HOORN

The Swiss Mathias Flückiger, who is in strong early form, can also be expected. The overall World Cup third-place finisher Maxime Marotte (France) and the Brazilian Henrique Avancini are always good for podium places. The ladies The “Confederates” are also a force among women on mountain bikes. Jolanda Neff made it to the podium in six out of seven races last season and took overall victory. Jolanda Neff is one of the favorites. © on

However, Neff missed out on a medal at the World Championships. There, 22-year-old Kate Courtney from the USA caused a sensation with gold.

But the world champion is not one of the big favorites. In addition to Neff, these include the Dane Annika Langvad, who has recently demonstrated her strong form in road races, as well as the Dutchwoman Anne Tauber, but also Emily Batty from Canada, Maja Wloszczowska from Poland and the Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand Prevot.

“Many athletes can be at the front. The level at the top is very close, the performance density is now extreme,” emphasizes Eva Lechner. The woman from Eppan herself would like to get back to the top this season. Eva Lechner wants to get back to the top. © on

The “Home World Cup” A highlight for South Tyrolean mountain bike fans is coming up at the beginning of August. In Commezzadura on the Sulzberg (Val di Sole) in Trentino, just a few kilometers from South Tyrol, the mountain bikers will compete in the fifth World Cup stage. Traditionally, numerous fans, including from South Tyrol, will be there and will turn the competitions into home games for Kerschbaumer and Lechner. Kerschbaumer in particular proved that the route is right there with his second place last year. At that time he only narrowly had to admit defeat to Nino Schurter. The World Cup stages (Cross Country) 17th-19th May Albstadt (Germany) 24th-26th May Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) 05.-07. July Vallnord (Andorra) 12th-14th July Les Gets (France) 02.-04. August Val di Sole (Italy) 09.-11. August Lenzerheide (Switzerland) 06.-08. September Snowshoe, West Virginia (USA)

The World Championships will take place from August 28th to September 1st in Mont Sainte-Anne, Canada.

_________________________________ A detailed portrait of the start of the season with Eva Lechner and Gerhard Kerschbaumer will be available on Wednesday SportNews to read.

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Everyone is chasing Nino: World Cup in the starting blocks

The start of the Cross-Country World Cup for mountain bikers takes place this weekend. SportNews provides an overview of who the favorites are alongside Swiss superstar Nino Schurter and what cycling fans can look forward to this season.

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