Nino Schurter shows who's boss
Everyone threw down at Nino Schurter but he showed why he has won so many world titles.
The Elite men's race at the UCI XCO World Championships was always going to be the big show. Nino Schurter has been the man to beat for years, and riders have been beating him a lot this year. Not always convincingly, but he hasn't ruled with an iron first like in seasons past.
Avancini, Koretsky, Fleuckiger, Kerschbaumer, Cink – everyone would be taking it to Nino.
And that's pretty much what happened, with Cink storming out, but most other riders having their turn at the front, especially Avancini who likes to ride strong and pull the race – unfortunately often for the wrong half.
But Nino got his gap and held it, with Kerschbaumber looking locked into second place until a flat tyre robbed him of that position and Flueckiger took silver for Switzerland behind Nino winning his 8th World Title.
"It's the same old World Cup start," said cam Ivory after the race where he finished 51st, "a big washing machine. Even half way through the first lap guys are still walking sections. Everyone gets tangled, it's just chaos and needs a few laps to settle down and find your rhythm."
"It was still pretty slick insections, but if you were on your own you could hit your lines perfectly
"I was happy with that," added Reece Tucknott, "the start was a bit average. I just tried to settle in and pick spots early. Someone went over the bars down Beatrice infront of me, so I went over them, and then someone hit my derailleur as I was doing that. So I had a half lap where I was really struggling, but I got back to it, and finished 55th on the lead lap in my first year as an elite – I can't complain."
Dan McConnell stormed home to 24th, while Seb Jayne finished strong in 76th.
