Cycling News

Nino Schurter ain’t done yet

36 wins! Nino Schurter back on top in Val di Sole World Cup

After two decades of defining what it means to be a legend in mountain biking, Nino Schurter is ready to go again. After 20 seasons of dominating the World Cup circuit, he’s sticking around for 2025. The fire’s still burning.

Nino’s announcement of his 21st season isn’t just about one more year of racing. Since his debut back in 2003 as a junior, he’s raced for the same team—SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team—for 23 years. That’s unheard of in most sports, let alone the high-turnover world of mountain biking.

As the 2024 season wrapped up with a solid 4th overall in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Nino didn’t sound like someone ready to slow down. “I’m so happy and proud of everything I’ve achieved over these past years. So many great memories I will cherish for a lifetime. Without a doubt, the best part was all the people I met along the way. Friends, competitors, fans—all made it worth going the extra mile. Because of all of you, I’m not ready to hang up my bike just yet,” Nino said.

Nino Schurter performs at UCI XCO World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy on June 16, 2024 // Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool //

The highs and lows of 2024

Nino’s 2024 season was a rollercoaster. It started rough, battling illness in the early races. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about this guy, it’s that he never stops fighting.

By the time he hit Nove Mesto, he was back on form, grabbing a brilliant 2nd place, reminding the world why he’s the GOAT. And then Val di Sole happened—a race for the ages. At 38-years-old, Nino took his 36th World Cup win, smashing his own record in the process. He proved that age really is just a number when you’ve got the determination and heart that Nino has.

Olympic disappointment

But it wasn’t all wins and glory. His fifth Olympic appearance didn’t go as planned. For the first time in his career, Nino didn’t get the result he was aiming for. But, as he’s always done, he took it in stride. “There are some lessons learned in failure that can never be learned in success,” Nino reflected. It was a tough blow, but also a reminder of how much the sport means to him.

2025

With 2024’s ups and downs behind him, Nino Schurter is not content with what’s already been accomplished—he’s hungry for more. “I’m committed to coming back strong for the 2025 World Cup season,” Nino says, with the kind of determination that’s fueled his career for over two decades.

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…