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00:00There is a rivalry amongst Nino and Matthias and I'd love to know which side gets a bit
00:05more rubbed up the wrong way than the other.
00:09Of course you have to get some challenging times.
00:15Yeah it was for sure not easy what happened there for me.
00:22It was not an attack to make Nino mad or whatever.
00:27Your rival Nino has been killing it he's been winning all this stuff.
00:32Matthias I could imagine he desperately wants to step up and be the dude.
00:43What an absolute fighter Matthias Flukiger is.
00:48You're nothing if you have no competitors.
00:53It's just the first one that is at the finish line.
00:56Here we are then they're almost ready to go racing.
01:06Sorry?
01:07Oh, oh shit sorry.
01:09No, no, no.
01:10Oh, no, no.
01:12Sorry.
01:20Welcome to Switzerland the nation that stands as high as any other in producing fast and hungry
01:26mountain bike racers.
01:27The swiss cycling mecca is one of the best cycling federations in the world.
01:33The development, what they put into their riders.
01:36In the men's field two swiss racers are expected to be battling for a home win.
01:41Matthias and Nino, the best in the world, are fighting for the world series.
01:46Two dudes in the same country that are so good, it's not fair.
01:49It's the best in the world series.
01:50Nino Schroeder is the goat, as they call it.
01:52The greatest of all time.
01:54Nino Schroeder truly is the goat of cross country.
01:58It's Nino Schroeder and it is a perfect season.
02:02He's won through generations worth of athletes, racers.
02:13So I'm Matthias Flueckiger.
02:14I ride for the Turmus Maxson racing team.
02:17And then an attack from Schroeder, I think, on the right.
02:20And Flueckiger fights back immediately.
02:22Schroeder goes to the front.
02:24If you look from outside and you see Nino and you see me, I was a long time always behind.
02:35Having someone like Matthias grow up in Nino's shadow, he's still been as competitive.
02:47But he hasn't quite had the wins that Nino has.
02:51Flueckiger goes.
02:53So if you want to be the man of Switzerland, the juggernaut, not only do you have to beat
02:58everyone else in the world, but your fellow countrymen, he's the best there is.
03:04And you have to beat him.
03:06Nino, big dog.
03:09Or should I say goat?
03:12Take a seat.
03:14Okay, nice little setup.
03:16So who's this Nino Schroeder character everyone keeps talking about?
03:21Nino Schroeder is the oldest in the field, I think so.
03:26Nino Schroeder, the man going for the record of UCI mountain bike world cup wins in cross country.
03:32It's not getting easier.
03:34There's a few young riders making my life harder and harder, but I still believe I can win world
03:40cups, but I know more and more that everything needs to come together.
03:45That total wins record is pretty much what he's got to shoot for now in terms of things to accomplish
03:50in this sport.
03:51For all the Swiss riders, when you have the home world cup in Switzerland, that's always special.
03:59And Green, Niko and Lanza Haider, we are racing in the second round of the UCI mountain bike cross country.
04:05Olympic World Cup.
04:08Nino Schroeder second place.
04:11Matthias Flukiger riding with that injured hand.
04:15Look who it is, Schroeder and Flukiger.
04:20Matthias Flukiger was in the lead group until lap two, now falling back.
04:30And it's Nino Schroeder to the front now.
04:33Yep, to the front.
04:34Look at him go, Schroeder landing deep on that ramp.
04:39Roared on by the Swiss fans, Nino Schroeder.
04:41The victory here would give him 34 lifetime world cup wins and the all-time record.
04:47In Lanza Haider, I ended up having family, friends, the Swiss crowd behind me.
04:54Nino Schroeder then comes into view of the crowd.
04:58Listen to the ovation this man is going to receive.
05:01There's no one there, Nino.
05:03There's no point looking back.
05:04Now he starts to smile.
05:06A big smile.
05:07Nino Schroeder doesn't just write his name into the history books.
05:11Nino Schroeder owns the history books.
05:1434 career wins for Nino Schroeder, the new record holder, never in doubt.
05:21The greatest of all time.
05:31Making history back home, it's a moment that I will never forget.
05:39Your countryman Nino Schroeder has became the winningest rider ever.
05:43What does it mean for the upcoming athletes?
05:45Yeah, congrats for this result.
05:48But amazing for him and yeah, it's good for the sport.
05:58It's hard not to talk about the beef between you and Nino.
06:01You've had some tense times.
06:05Is it okay if we talk about the rivalry between you and Matthias?
06:10I don't think so.
06:10That's not a good idea.
06:12Come on, Matt.
06:13The beef has already happened.
06:14Who cares?
06:16Yeah, okay.
06:202021, we had a big press conference with the national TV.
06:25And then a journalist asked me, who would you say is the best Swiss cross country rider at the moment?
06:32And then I said, probably now it's me.
06:38Wow.
06:39You've got some balls.
06:44You know, it was not an attack to make Nino mad or whatever.
06:50I just was honest.
06:51Okay, I won the races before.
06:54Okay, now I'm in a bit better shape than everybody else.
07:02Nino and me, we had already some good battles.
07:09I remember one of the World Cups and Nino took an inside corner and pushed Matthias outside.
07:21They've had their run-ins, but they had a bit of an issue last year in Lenzer Haider.
07:25So the two Swiss have gotten away.
07:28The whole drama happened in the forest.
07:40So something has happened here off camera.
07:43If there are two riders which want to win this race, it can happen that they crash together
07:49sometimes.
07:50But it was not the plan to do that.
08:00In third place, Matthias Klöckinger!
08:19That's good in the sport if you have a battle like this.
08:22Not crashing.
08:23I don't think so crashing is important to have a good show.
08:27But the battle, that's always interesting for everybody.
08:39It's true.
08:40But the roof doesn't go down.
08:42Let's wash it.
08:43Oh, it's so fast.
08:45Oh, it's so fast!
08:46I'm Lucas Flückinger.
08:48I'm the brother of Matthias Flückinger.
08:51I trained a lot with Lucas.
08:53He brought cycling in our family and here's the reason I'm here now.
09:00We didn't see mountain bike as a job.
09:03It was always fun.
09:05We trained a lot, but we like to train hard.
09:10I like to go out, actually in this weather and…
09:14And feeling the pain a bit more.
09:16Yeah, and I want to prove also myself that I can train in this kind of weather.
09:22And that's my approach to racing this season.
09:25It's not about drizzle.
09:26It's more, I can go to the limit or over the limit.
09:34And…
09:35A heart for my brother.
09:37Oh, nice!
09:40Myself, I raced a lot against Nino as well.
09:43He is not extremely stronger than everybody.
09:46Sometimes it looks from outside,
09:47but he is in every level on top.
09:51But he is never the best.
09:53If you want to beat him,
09:55you have to fight until the finish line.
09:57He never gives up.
09:58And Nino, he analysed the other riders.
10:01And Matthias is more,
10:03okay, I feel good.
10:05Let's go.
10:10A long time, Nino, he was impossible to reach.
10:14I always believed in the past years,
10:17yeah, I can come closer.
10:19Here we are then.
10:20They are almost ready to go racing at the fourth round
10:22of the UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country Olympic World Cup.
10:25I don't have the expectation anymore that I have to win.
10:28If I still can, it's awesome.
10:31But for my fans and the surrounding,
10:33it's not a must anymore.
10:35A question which I had,
10:37do I still enjoy racing so much?
10:40I mean, really, really much?
10:45Or just enjoying?
10:46From Val de Sole, Trentino.
10:50It's not always about succeeding.
10:52It's also just to feel, again, the moment.
10:56I was struggling with that, actually.
11:00And we are go in Italy.
11:03Mattias, we could absolutely not a good start today.
11:06That was actually the reason I couldn't go full to the limit.
11:11He's pushing hard.
11:13Yeah, he's pushing on.
11:16Flugiger, 36 seconds back.
11:20Val de Sole was actually,
11:21okay, I could go back full goals to the limit.
11:25Oh, Flugiger now,
11:27just breaking off the front of this group.
11:29Flugiger to the front.
11:30I'm wondering what he can do.
11:32Scherner dropping the hammer.
11:34Can the field respond behind him?
11:40Flugiger's gone away from Alan Haveli,
11:42and Alan Haveli dips his head.
11:43I don't know if he has got the energy reserves
11:45to follow the Swiss rider here.
11:49There he goes, Manuel down the hill.
11:52Nino Scherner makes it 35,
11:54UCI World Cup wins.
11:56Inbound at Sole, Trentino.
11:58And he knows he is still the very, very best.
12:02Mattias Flugiger, second place today.
12:05A gutsy ride.
12:07And that's right from Thomas Maxxen,
12:10here is Mattias Flugiger!
12:18Second place was awesome,
12:20but the feeling was even better
12:23to go on the limit,
12:24and I can do it.
12:26I can't do it.
12:28I can't do it.
12:32I can't do it.
12:33I can't do it.
12:33I can't do it.
12:34I can't do it.
12:35I can't do it.
12:35I can't do it.
12:35Prepping for a World Cup
12:36is never going to be easy, right?
12:37But safe to say,
12:38this wasn't a regular off-season.
12:43You know, I had a really tough time last year
12:47at the end of the season.
12:48It was hard to come through the winter
12:52to do a good preparation.
12:57August 2022 was my absolutely worst time of my life.
13:07I was just on the last step
13:10to quit my career as a rider.
13:13It was almost on the limit of my life,
13:15I have to say.
13:20For me was every day the last couple of months
13:23sad, really sad.
13:26I knew I liked my workshop
13:29and to build trails.
13:34It's my favourite hobbies I have.
13:37I tried to do that again
13:39and what makes me happy as a person in my life.
13:43But you know,
13:44if you land here,
13:46it's always his advice.
13:50There was a decision from the case,
13:52okay?
13:53He is free to ride and to race.
13:59Three, four months later,
14:01I decided I want to go back racing.
14:05There was a race this season,
14:07the Swiss Champs,
14:08and I won it.
14:11But it does make me more happy.
14:14And when I realised that,
14:16that was for me a bit of a shock.
14:20When I finish this board,
14:22it's not something super crazy.
14:25It's not like winning a race,
14:27but it makes me happy.
14:30From months to months,
14:32it came more and more back.
14:34To be happy with small things,
14:36then I can also be happy with bigger goals.
14:47Nobody expected that I could go again for top ten,
14:52top five,
14:53or even on the podium.
14:56It didn't rain for a month in this corner of the Pyrenees.
15:00And then right on cue,
15:01just as it was time to go racing.
15:03When the sun is shining,
15:04it looks nice,
15:05and it's easy to ride.
15:06But when the rain comes down,
15:07and when it's cold,
15:08these conditions are even better for Matthias.
15:11Matthias Flukiger loves it when the goal gets tough.
15:14It comes down to mental strength,
15:17physical strength.
15:18The whole mental aspect
15:20is a really important thing in sport.
15:22If you're hurting a lot,
15:23you need to be mentally ready.
15:25Yeah, it's going to be a tough one.
15:27Not my favourite conditions, to be honest.
15:31To handle pressure
15:33is probably also one of my gifts I have.
15:37I like pressure.
15:38All the stress, all the pain you have.
15:44And it's green for goal,
15:46Impala and Sal Andorra.
15:48Nino Scherter smiling on the start line,
15:50but it's Luka Schwarzbauer
15:51who wipes that smile off his face
15:53and makes the first full puddle.
15:55Scherter got swallowed up at the start then,
15:57is having to fight his way back to the front.
15:59Matthias Flukiger looking good here.
16:01Yeah, he likes to ride in the red conditions.
16:03Fancy his chances today.
16:08But Flukiger moves to the front line,
16:10but no, Schwarzbauer says,
16:12no, he has done.
16:14He likes to be in the first place
16:16when it comes down to that descent.
16:18Look at Flukiger through this descent.
16:20Matthias Flukiger leading here
16:22and opening the gap to Luka Schwarzbauer.
16:24Flukiger having a good goal,
16:25the tongue's out, that means he's trying.
16:27What an absolute fighter Matthias Flukiger is.
16:30Look at the face on him.
16:31He was leaning about almost one minute
16:34and he drops back to ten seconds
16:36to the next rider.
16:38Just one and a half lap to go.
16:40Whoa, whoa, whoa.
16:42Matthias Flukiger just hops into that little section
16:44and unclips ten seconds.
16:47Does he know?
16:48He will be getting the information
16:49that Tom O'Grillo is coming.
16:52There he is.
16:53There he is.
16:54Scherter's in, Scherter's in.
16:56Rear flat.
16:57It's a rear flat.
16:58The energy was maybe not enough
17:00because the energy was used the whole season,
17:04the whole winter, and he was a bit empty.
17:07But it's going to take some stopping this man today.
17:10In the end, to see him going so deep,
17:13it was incredible.
17:16Nino Scherter, how far back he is.
17:19He's 15th at the minute.
17:20Then meanwhile, Prince Matthias Flukiger wins
17:23in Palaren Salah.
17:24And Dora, his first win since Liagang last season.
17:28From being provisionally banned
17:29to a UCI World Cup winner once again.
17:33What a ride that was from the Swiss rider.
17:36There was a huge journey for family, friends,
17:39Mott, myself.
17:42Actually, one year ago, I got to go to trouble.
17:45All you know it.
17:46And I'm so happy to be back winning a World Cup again.
17:52That's amazing.
17:54Nino Scherter, 12th place.
17:56Straight out of there.
18:09Matthias and Nino, as turbulent as the seasons went on
18:12for both these riders,
18:13they're first and third overall.
18:15So they've still prevailed.
18:16They've shown their class.
18:17They've shown how good they are
18:19now coming down to the end of the season
18:21as a fan, as a spectator.
18:22It couldn't be any better.
18:24Can it rain?
18:26It would be really good.
18:27Do you feel that they completely change?
18:30Yes, yes.
18:31What is that?
18:34Yes, the floor is wet and so.
18:36It changes everything.
18:38Every effort.
18:40And probably would it blow a bit off?
18:42Do you know what it is?
18:44Yes.
18:46Or maybe someone.
18:47No.
18:51Welcome to the biggest cross country race of the year.
18:54The UCI World Cup finals from Monsignor.
18:57Now the final race.
18:58Nino, he's got the lead.
18:59He's got the upper hand.
19:00He's got the experience.
19:01But Matthias has to make it happen.
19:03So if he wants to win the World Series overall,
19:05he has to win.
19:07After everything that has happened,
19:09a chance for Flukiger to win the UCI cross country
19:13World Cup overall title.
19:14Matthias is going to have to win
19:16and Nino Schurter will need to finish
19:18an uncharacteristic 13th or worse.
19:22Like always, right?
19:23Or not so much like always?
19:24It's actually a win.
19:26Everybody was nervous to choose the right tyres.
19:29It would be a bit better in the plan to go.
19:31For you, yes.
19:32And the racer is not too deep on the side.
19:35The racer is like this.
19:36Yeah.
19:36I knew from the previous races
19:39that he likes to go completely different tyre types
19:43than everybody else.
19:51Matthias, when you looked out the window this morning
19:54at the weather, what was going through your mind?
19:56Yeah, you know, it's always hard to ride in such conditions.
20:02But normally I did good races in these conditions.
20:06So, yeah, I should be excited.
20:11And this is the condition he needs to win the race.
20:14But there was never a question about racing for the overall.
20:18There was racing about the win.
20:21Who is going to walk out of this race
20:23with the UCI World Cup overall title?
20:26If the main thing is to beat your rival,
20:29it's a negative energy.
20:30You need to be passionate for what you're doing
20:32to be at your best.
20:34And we are racing in Mont-Saint-Quebec.
20:39There.
20:40Flukiger in the lead now, up this climb.
20:42There is Flukiger we're used to seeing the head rolling,
20:45shoulders swaying.
20:45He's on a mission.
20:47Flat, rear flat, Matthias Flukiger.
20:49My rear flat.
20:51He's flatting with a tire I never would race.
20:55He is on the wrong tires.
21:00This is difficult to see the first three riders passing you.
21:05Go!
21:06Go!
21:07Flukiger is off and running
21:08and he's got to catch this man now.
21:10The UCI World Champion, Tom Pitcox.
21:13Flukiger is in third place now.
21:16Nino Schurter in 12th as it stands.
21:19So this would be good enough for the title
21:20if we put the flag out now.
21:22I think if he just comes into the seal now,
21:25it's just a bit longer for the 2nd.
21:27Mindest 2nd.
21:28It's very close to the last one.
21:34All the staff were pointed around the track told me,
21:39hey, you have to go for the victory.
21:42Then you have the chance to win the overall.
21:45Yes, Mark.
21:46Come on.
21:47Roll for it.
21:47Preach him easy.
21:48Come on.
21:49Preach him easy.
21:50If Nino drops just one position,
21:53the Cinderella story will be realised for Flukiger.
21:56Flukiger at the top of the climb has taken the lead
21:58as they head into the woods.
22:01You can't take your eyes off this battle of sport,
22:03but this is an absolute contest.
22:06It is Tom Pitcox versus Matthias Flukiger,
22:08the man going for the title at the front of this one.
22:13It's a rear flat for Matthias Flukiger
22:15in almost exactly the same place he got the first one.
22:19A chance for Tom Pitcox to close up the gap now.
22:24They're waiting for him.
22:25Let's have a look.
22:27Flukiger grabs a drink,
22:29steps back from the bike,
22:30lets the mechanic Gal Black go to work.
22:31One wheel out.
22:32He's back on the bike before the axle is fully in,
22:35and he is gone.
22:36If Flukiger can get back over to Pitcox here
22:39for the second time in this race.
22:42An absolute hero's ride for Matthias Flukiger.
22:46Nino Schurter.
22:47A drop chain on...
22:49A drop chain for Schurter is dropping him down the order.
22:52That's 14th, 15th on our screens here in the booth.
22:55He can't get the chain back on that scot.
22:57Well, we did say there could be a sting in the tail here.
23:00Look at him.
23:01Look at the effort all over Matthias Flukiger's face.
23:05We're so used to saying it.
23:07What a brave, brave performance from him today.
23:10Digging deeper and deeper and deeper.
23:1233 seconds.
23:13Put out there for Pitcox across the rock.
23:16Puff the cheeks.
23:20And he's going to end the year for us in Canada
23:23with another win.
23:25Tom Pitcox.
23:26There's Matthias Flukiger.
23:28A brave, brave ride for Flukiger.
23:3126 seconds only.
23:32Only 26 seconds.
23:34Back without those two punctures.
23:35What could have been?
23:38Nino Schurter.
23:39The UCI World Cup overall title winner.
23:43Nine UCI World Cup overall titles for Nino Schurter.
23:50Fuck!
23:51Fuck!
23:52He's hitting it, right?
23:55He made the best out of this situation.
23:58If he wouldn't flat, he would win the overall at the end, yeah.
24:03Yeah, it's nice, Simon.
24:05Gratuliere.
24:05Yeah, Nino.
24:07It's not light, but...
24:08You all do it, that's how it's really coming.
24:10Yeah.
24:11But that's good.
24:12Very good.
24:14I'm really happy.
24:15Even if I lost the opportunity to win the overall,
24:19I know I'm really back and I really enjoy racing
24:24even more than before, I would say.
24:27More with my heart and that gives me so much.
24:33Matthias and Nino, I don't think they're friendly.
24:36They're not going for a coffee in the morning,
24:37but they do respect each other
24:39and they do respect the level that they're racing at
24:42and where they've come from and what they're achieving.
24:48Nino and me are more close together
24:51than probably in the past 12 months.
24:54For me, that is the past
24:56and now we should both look forward
24:58and don't make life heavier than it is.
25:06So Matt, last question.
25:08Would you be the most successful cross-country racer of your generation
25:11if Nino wasn't around?
25:13Who?
25:15That's a really good question.
25:24The fastest mob in the world.
25:28Rachel is the reason why I started downhill racing.
25:30She's my biggest idol.
25:32Valentina Hall, the world champion.
25:34It's almost like two generational talents clashing.
25:37It's been a mixture of great fun, exhaustion and complete trauma.
25:43Oh God, when I look back I'm just like,
25:45what the fuck was I thinking?
25:46Thank you very much.
25:47Take care.
25:57Take care.
26:12And let's go back.
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