One week after Leogang, there was barely enough time to unpack before heading to our next destination.
Straight to Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
Known worldwide as the “Bike Kingdom”, Lenzerheide has become one of the iconic venues in cross-country mountain biking. For nearly two decades, it was the kingdom of one man: Nino Schurter. Multiple World Champion, Olympic Champion and arguably the greatest cross-country rider in history, he made these trails his home. This year, however, the Swiss legend has stepped away from professional racing, leaving the Bike Kingdom without its king.
For us, another chapter was about to begin.
After weeks of racing in mud, the Austrian rain finally gave way to dust. Summer had finally arrived. Dry trails, warm temperatures and perfect racing conditions — without the overwhelming heat that sometimes accompanies them.
A welcome change.
The objective
This weekend, there was no specific result in mind.
The objective was simple:
Consistency.
Week after week, World Series racing is teaching me what it takes to compete at the highest level. Every lap, every mistake and every overtake becomes another lesson.
The goal was to keep learning, while continuing the positive momentum from the previous races.
The race
For those of you who regularly follow my race reports…
This story might sound familiar.
Unfortunately.
Only this time… it was even worse.
With 85 riders on the start line, I completed the start loop in 82nd position.
At World Series level, every second lost in the opening minutes has enormous consequences. Starting from the back means spending the first kilometres trying to survive the pace while the leaders are already racing full gas.
Learning at this level is anything but easy.
But if there’s one thing those who know me have learned over the years, it’s this:
I never stop fighting.
Building the comeback
As soon as the second lap began, I started working my way forward.
Lenzerheide, however, is a different challenge.
Its long climbs and fast, flowing sections favour powerful riders capable of producing sustained high watts. There are fewer technical opportunities to gain positions than on other courses.
The key was patience.
Instead of chasing every rider immediately, I focused on maintaining a smooth, sustainable pace, knowing that endurance has become one of my strengths.
And, just as in previous races…
The lap times kept improving.
While many riders naturally began to fade, I was able to increase my rhythm with every lap.
Slowly but surely, the positions came.
82nd…
76th…
74th…
69th…
66th.
Once again, the progression throughout the race confirmed the work that’s been done over the past months.
The frustrating part remains obvious.
The first lap.
The gap created in those opening minutes is still too large to erase completely, even when the pace is there afterwards.
Looking ahead
Once again, I leave a World Series round with positive feelings.
The results don’t yet tell the whole story, but the trend is encouraging.
Now comes the next challenge:
Finding a way to enter the race immediately instead of spending it chasing from behind.
That’s the next step.
And I’m convinced it will come.
A strong weekend for the team
Beyond my own race, it was another excellent weekend for the team.
Sivert Ekroll finished 8th, while Leo Lounela secured an impressive 10th place, giving the team two riders inside the World Series Top 10 and successfully achieving our collective objective.
Next stop
With a busy second half of the season ahead, I’ve decided to skip the World Series round in La Thuile.
The focus now shifts towards Pal Arinsal (Andorra), the final World Series before the Belgian National Championships, followed by the last round of the European Cup in France.
The season is far from over.
And so is the learning.