"Everything was going well until I flew over the handlebars": that's how Schurter's fall that we didn't see in the European Championships happened

After rediscovering good sensations at the Andorra World Cup, Nino Schurter arrived at the European XCO Championship in Melgaço (Portugal) with high morale and the clear intention of fighting for medals again. The ten-time world champion seemed to have left his respiratory problems behind and was ambitious facing an explosive, technical, and extremely fast circuit. However, the European dream vanished unexpectedly after a fall that left him with no options.

"Lately I'm not flowing as I used to": Nino Schurter suffered two falls and a puncture that took him out of the fight for the European title

From the start, Schurter showed that he meant business. He positioned himself at the front alongside his compatriot Filippo Colombo and the British Charlie Aldridge, setting a dizzying pace that quickly dropped a good part of the peloton. It was a classic Nino-style start: aggressive, precise, and ambitious. Everything indicated that he was in a position to fight for the continental title.

But suddenly, he disappeared from the front positions. The cameras didn't capture the moment, but videos shared on social media confirmed that he had suffered a spectacular fall in the rock garden, in one of the fastest sections of the circuit. An unusual scene for Schurter, possibly the best descender in the history of XCO.

 

 

 

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Although he managed to continue, the Swiss rider admitted on social media that the accident was more serious than it initially seemed:

"Lately I'm not flowing as I used to. Things are not flowing. I had a perfect start and felt very good... until I flew over the handlebars. Dazed by the impact, I fell again shortly after and also punctured far from the technical zone. After so many years when everything went well, I guess now it's time to learn the hard way." Nino Schurter explained.

The succession of incidents relegated him to positions far from the front and ruined any chance of fighting for the podium.

This new setback adds to an irregular season in which Schurter started strong with a victory in the Cape Epic and a podium in Brazil, but shortly after had to deal with respiratory problems, falls, retirements, and a lack of rhythm.

At 39 years old, the Swiss champion continues to show that, even when results don't always go his way, his competitive mentality and ability to bounce back from setbacks are more alive than ever.