Nino Schurter says goodbye: The most successful mountain biker ends his unique career
Maik Schröder
· 18.08.2025
At some point, it has to end: the most successful mountain biker of all time is drawing a line under his unrivalled cross-country career. The Swiss athlete will end his active career in the World Cup circuit at his home race in Lenzerheide on 21 September 2025. The 39-year-old exceptional athlete from Chur has shaped the sport of mountain biking for more than two decades and has set standards with his numerous successes that will probably remain unrivalled for a long time. The choice of venue for his last competition is no coincidence, as Lenzerheide has a special significance for the Swiss athlete - not only as his home race and training ground, but also as the scene of some of his most important victories.
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Nino Schurter: an unprecedented career full of records
Nino Schurter's professional career began 23 years ago when he first came into contact with Thomas Frischknecht and subsequently became part of the SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team, which at the time was still known as SCOTT-Swisspower. Over the following two decades, Schurter developed into the dominant rider in his discipline and amassed an impressive number of successes.
With ten world championship titles, nine overall victories in the World Cup and 36 individual World Cup successes, the Swiss has set records that are unrivalled in the mountain bike world. He has also won a complete set of medals at the Olympic Games: Bronze in Beijing 2008, silver in London 2012 and gold in Rio 2016. In total, Schurter represented his home country at five Olympic Games and wore the prestigious rainbow stripes of the world champion for over a decade. Most recently, he made history again in 2024 when he claimed his 36th World Cup victory, thereby extending his own record.
Nino Schurter became world cross-country champion for the last and 10th time in 2022. The best scenes, including an emotional commentary, can be found here in the highlight video:
A symbolic farewell at home
The fact that Lenzerheide will be the venue for his last competition has a symbolic meaning for "N1no" Schurter. He celebrated his eighth world championship title in front of a home crowd on this course in 2018 - an emotional highlight of his career. He also made history here in 2023 when he set the then world record with his 34th World Cup victory. If you want to follow in Schurter's footsteps and ride in Lenzerheide yourself, you can check out what's going on in the neighbouring bike parks this year here.
The UCI World Cup in Lenzerheide follows just one week after the 2025 World Championships in Crans-Montana, where Schurter will compete for the last time in the Swiss national jersey. This constellation of two international highlights in Switzerland provides the perfect setting for the farewell of an icon of mountain biking. Rumours and speculation about a possible end to the 39-year-old's career had already intensified in recent years, but his motivation and passion kept him going until the very end.
Comments on the end of Nino Schurter's career
Nino Schurter himself looks back with gratitude on his time as a professional mountain biker and is already looking ahead to new challenges.
I am incredibly grateful for everything I have achieved in my life as a professional mountain bike racer. - Nino Schurter
He goes on to say: "Now it's time to take all these experiences into a new chapter of my life. I'm sure that what comes next will be just as exciting," explains the outgoing champion. He emphasises that he will remain involved in the mountain bike scene: "Yes, I'm saying goodbye to the cross-country World Cup stage, but I will remain an active part of the biking community with all its great people." Thomas Frischknecht, who has accompanied Schurter as team manager since the start of his career, also recognises the exceptional achievements of his protégé: "It's actually the dream of everyone involved in the sport to work with an athlete as outstanding as Nino. I've had the pleasure of working with him since he joined my team 23 years ago. His successes speak for themselves."
New challenges after the World Cup
Even though Nino Schurter is ending his career in the Cross-Country World Cup, he will remain involved in cycling in various capacities. After his retirement from racing, he will continue to be part of the SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team and act as an ambassador for SCOTT, SRAM and Rockshox.
Nino Schurter's legacy will last forever. - Thomas Frischknecht, Team Leader
The Swiss rider plans to concentrate more on event and charity projects in future and focus on other racing formats such as endurance and gravel races. Specifically, he has already cancelled his participation in the Absa Cape Epic 2026 - a stage race in which he has already triumphed three times. With this step, Schurter is following the example of other cross-country legends who have been successful in other mountain bike disciplines after their World Cup careers. Frischknecht is convinced: "Nino Schurter's legacy will remain forever and he will always be a shining example for future generations."
Maik Schröder
Editor
