Nino Schurter: “Now I ride for fun rather than sticking to a training plan”

Olympic champion, world champion, mountain bike legend: Nino Schurter has retired from the World Cup. But he’s far from done with racing. Following his victory at the legendary BC Bike Race, the Swiss rider talks about rainforest trails, bears by the side of the track, his bucket list – and why having fun is more important today than podium places.

"I still enjoy being an athlete"

Nino Schurter: No, not at all. I’ve always been a competitor and still am today. It was never my plan to put my feet up after the World Cup. Quite the opposite. Now I finally have time for all the races and adventures that were always on the back burner during my career.

BIKE: Was the BC Bike Race at the top of the list?

Schurter: Definitely. It was one of those races you’ve been hearing about for years and thinking: I’d love to experience that one day.

The best race trails in the world?

BIKE: You went on to say that those were the best trails you’d ever ridden. Coming from someone who’s ridden practically everywhere in the world, that sounds like a huge compliment.

Schurter: That was it. But let’s be clear: I said they were the best trails I’ve ever ridden in a race. That’s a bit different.

BIKE: What's the difference?

Schurter: There are plenty of regions with fantastic trails. But I don’t know of any other race where the proportion of trail riding is so high. Almost every stage consists of singletrack. And not just for a few minutes, but for hours on end. That’s what makes the BC Bike Race unique.

BIKE: So, more like a trail holiday with a race number?

Schurter: (laughs) Something like that. Only much more exhausting.

Bears, cougars and overtaking manoeuvres

BIKE: When you think of British Columbia, you think of bears, moose and cougars. Do you just race through the woods on your own, or do you not notice the wilderness at all?

Schurter: You really do take a lot in. The landscape is incredibly striking. I didn’t see any animals during the race, though. There’s usually a motorbike riding ahead of the peloton, and that makes enough noise. The animals tend to keep their distance.

BIKE: The locals ride there with bear spray in their rucksacks.

Schurter: Yes, absolutely. Anyone travelling there alone almost always carries pepper spray. Bears are simply part of everyday life there.

BIKE: And the race itself? Are you racing against the clock or against the other competitors?

Schurter: We were clearly ahead of the competition. The field was incredibly strong. We were often a group of five or six riders. In five of the seven stages, the winner was only decided in a sprint.

BIKE: That doesn't sound like a laid-back adventure holiday.

Schurter: No. The standard was far too high for that.

A Blind Date with the Trail

BIKE: What I found particularly interesting was this: the locals know lots of trails. You don’t. How much of a disadvantage is that?

Schurter: It was huge. That said, nobody knew the exact route of the race. But if you know the area, you know where the faster lines are. You know the rocks, the bends, the shortcuts. For me, it was all a mystery.

BIKE: Observe, assess, decide – that’s right up your street. You love technical riding.

Schurter: That's right. That's exactly why I enjoyed it so much.

BIKE: Which sections did you particularly enjoy?

Schurter: I love the typical North Shore features. Wooden walkways over rough terrain or rocky steps. But also the so-called ‘slabs’ – boulders lying scattered across the landscape like giant pebbles. But what impressed me even more was the forest. Those huge, moss-covered trees. It looks like a fairytale forest. There are no rainforests like those on Vancouver Island in Europe.

The bucket list is getting shorter

BIKE: The BC Bike Race was one item ticked off my bucket list. What’s left on it?

Schurter: Take Trans Madeira, for example. I’d actually planned to take part in that enduro race this year. Unfortunately, another commitment came up.

BIKE: Fair enough. The Trans Madeira is practically made for Nino Schurter.

Schurter: Yes, that really appeals to me. Unfortunately, there are fewer of these special multi-day enduro races these days than there used to be.

BIKE: And what about other types of bikes?

Schurter: This year I’m taking part in two more gravel events that have also been on my list for ages: the Rift in Iceland and the Gravel Burn in South Africa.

BIKE: That sounds like an enviable retirement plan.

Schurter: (laughs) Maybe. What appeals to me most of all are new places. During my World Cup career, I was always racing on the same circuits. Now I’m discovering regions I’ve never seen before.

“Having fun is the top priority now”

BIKE: You told SPIEGEL news magazine that your daughter is disappointed when her dad isn’t right at the top of the podium. So the atmosphere at home must have been good after the BC Bike Race.

Schurter: She laughed. She was delighted. But these days I often go to her races too. This weekend we went to two of her competitions. Now I get to stand at the side of the track and cheer her on.

BIKE: You also made a remarkable point: if you want to stay motivated in the long term, you should make sure your sport is fun. How do you do that these days?

Schurter: Actually, everything I do these days is shaped by that very thing. In the past, the result was always the main focus. These days, having fun has to come first.

BIKE: Even during training?

Schurter: Especially there. I don’t have a training plan anymore. I just do whatever takes my fancy. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes I ride a mountain bike, sometimes a gravel bike. Just as the mood takes me.

BIKE: For many amateur cyclists, that sounds like a dream come true.

Schurter: Me too. And I realise that’s precisely why I’m still out on my bike so much.

BIKE: So is the secret to success for a ten-time world champion now: less planning, more enjoyment?

Schurter: Exactly. After all, we all started cycling at some point because it was fun. It’s worth remembering that every now and then.