Nino Schurter's winter training: skiing
Cross-country skiing and ski touring is what Olympic champion and ten-time cross-country world champion Nino Schurter loves in equal measure. Growing up in an Alpine mountain village, he was already on skis as a child. Before Nino switched to biking, he was part of the Swiss ski squad. Today, he still competes in a cross-country race once a year and can hold his own in the midfield at a high level. In some winter weeks, Schurter skis exclusively and only supplements his training a little at most. Equalisation training on the roller. He is always accompanied on ski tours by experienced colleagues, while Nino Schurter usually trains cross-country skiing alone.
The benefits of skiing for cross-country bikers
Nino Schurter: "It's not absolutely necessary to cycle exclusively for twelve months of the year. I think it's important for bikers to train in as many different ways as possible. Ski tours are more for endurance, but they are also quite intensive. Cross-country skiing is targeted, full-fledged training, where I also incorporate my intervals. The exertion is similar to biking, but more muscle groups are trained, which is definitely good in winter. It also has a lot to do with coordination and balance. In a race, this is just as important as the physical strain. Skiing also has the same benefits for hobby bikers as it does for me."
Tips for winter training from Thomas Frischknecht
The director of the Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team around Nino Schurter knows what bikers need: "In order to get through the winter well, bikers shouldn't stick too rigidly to guidelines, but should bring versatility to their training. People often forget that the coming season will be another long one. Being over-motivated and using up all your energy beforehand is not the right approach."
Our athletes have a free hand when it comes to choosing an alternative sport. We set zero requirements. Logically, they should not injure themselves, but our athletes are all professionals enough to know how to get through the winter in good health. - Thomas Frischknecht, Head of the Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team
Success through diversity
The choice of the right balancing sport for bikers is very individual. A combination of technical and physical demands is ideal. However, as with many things in life, it never hurts to try something different and challenge yourself with something new. Especially in winter, it's worth trying out creative alternatives to keep training fun.
Jolanda Neff's winter training: downhill biking
Downhill biking can be a real training alternative for athletes who - like Jolanda Neff - usually only race at speed on short-stroke mountain bikes. The Olympic champion and two-time cross-country world champion usually spends her off-season with her partner and World Cup downhiller Luca Shaw in the USA. Together they spend many days in the bike park in winter, for example in Rock Creek near Asheville. In contrast to Jolanda's Swiss home, the trails in North Carolina are snow-free at this time of year.
I have to be honest and say that I wouldn't ride downhill as often without Luca. I did win a local downhill race, but I don't plan to pursue it any further. - Jolanda Neff, XCO racer
What downhill biking brings for cross-country mountain bikers
Jolanda Neff: "I definitely enjoy trying something new and it's great to challenge yourself. If you're a hobby biker and have the opportunity to try downhill yourself, then it's definitely a great experience. I think it helps to have a colleague with you. I also recommend taking a relaxed approach and only taking on descents that you feel comfortable on. For me, it's all about the fun and variety on my downhill or enduro bike. But I can also learn a lot for cross-country competitions. Training on the downhill course helps me to overcome big obstacles such as jumps or drops smoothly."
Anne Terpstra's winter training: Strength training
Anne Terpstra has been doing weight training since she was 18 years old. In winter, the Olympic athlete and three-time cross-country World Cup winner intensifies her sessions to two to three times a week. In the gym, she specifically strengthens all major muscle groups. A team of physiotherapists and trainers determine how Anne's strength training is structured. All of her training sessions on the bike will take place again in April at the earliest.
Good cyclists not only have strong legs, but also strength in their upper body. Stability in the torso helps to pedal more efficiently and avoid falls. - Anne Terpstra, XCO racer
The benefits of strength training for cross-country bikers
Anne Terpstra: "As a mountain biker, I can also train many things on the bike, but strength training gives me the basis for this. I'm also conveniently independent of light and weather in the gym. I like the variety and believe that balance plays an important role for athletes. For cyclists, this means training not only the legs but also the upper body. That is hard work. Over the winter, I increase the intensity of my training in order to be prepared for the bike sessions. I then benefit enormously from winter training in the race. Especially at high speeds on the downhill, the muscle strength helps me to absorb all the shocks. The strength exercises also ensure that I can survive races without cramps - a great motivation for me."
Martin Maes' winter training: running
Jogging is the perfect balancing sport for Martin Maes in winter. The third-placed rider in the 2022 Enduro World Series (EWS) overall standings loves being outdoors. When he's not ploughing through the fields with his buggy or on his motorbike, he can usually be found running from October to March. Martin goes jogging three times a week - often accompanied by his dog. For long sessions and intervals, however, he usually runs alone so that he can control his own pace better.
It's very important to stop biking for a while. Especially after ten years of competing at the highest level. - Martin Maes, Enduro MTB racer
The benefits of jogging for bikers
Martin Maes: "I like to take a break from biking in winter. You can love your sport as much as you like, but you will always benefit from a break in the long term. Physical ability is essential when you're competing, but if you're not mentally ready, it won't get you anywhere. The racing season demands everything from professional bikers - especially if they want to achieve a goal. During the season, I'm fully focussed on my job as an enduro racer. That means constant stress for body and mind. If I can take a break from that, then I do it and Running helps me to switch off. Of course, it's also good training. When I get back on my bike, my motivation is particularly high."
Jesse Melamed's winter training: Skiing
If the snow conditions are right, the winner of the 2022 EWS overall ranking also changes his sports equipment in winter and skis four to eight times a month. As Jesse Melamed grew up in the ski resort of Whistler, he started skiing at an early age. As a child, the sport was primarily a family activity for him. Today, the enduro pro regularly incorporates cross-country skiing and ski touring sessions into his training, especially in the winter months of December to February. How Nino Schurter Jesse Melamed is also always travelling with a group of friends on ski tours - this makes sense for safety reasons alone. He usually completes his cross-country training alone. Jesse does not compete on skis.
The benefits of skiing for enduro bikers
Jesse Melamed: "Ski tours offer a good opportunity to do long, low-intensity training sessions. Especially where I live, this is rather difficult on a bike - so skiing is an excellent alternative when the snow is good. Ski touring in winter helps me to get through long days on the enduro bike in summer. In contrast, cross-country skiing is very intense. I also really like this and like to incorporate it into my training. During the races in winter, I benefit from the high training intensity of cross-country skiing, especially on challenging enduro stages. Skiing helps me to keep up with my training programme in winter so that I'm fit when the bike season starts again. Ski touring and cross-country skiing are such diverse sports that they train all the important muscle groups."
Skiing also helps hobby bikers to stay fit during the winter and to start the bike season without any problems. - Jesse Melamed, Enduro racer
Jan Timmermann
Editor
