The hope of Nino Schurter’s historic 34th World Cup victory in front of a home crowd is shattered. Mathias Flückiger and Schurter clash in Lenzerheide in the fight for victory and fall. After that, there’s mutual finger pointing.
In the end, Flückiger was 3rd, Schurter 4th. Luca Braidot was the big beneficiary of the unfortunate Swiss rencontre. The 31-year-old Italian celebrated his first World Cup victory, Alan Hatherly inherited second place.
Schurter and Flückiger, whose sporting rivalry at last year’s World Championships first became really obvious with Schurter’s cheeky golden maneuver just before the finish, broke away from a group of four on the final lap. Instead of not jeopardizing the Swiss double victory that was believed to be certain, Flückiger attacked Schurter in front at a tricky spot 300 meters from the finish line. Away from the TV cameras, there was contact and a double fall.
Naturally, those involved rated the scene differently. Flückiger “cleared” him in an impossible place, complained Schurter, who sensed Flückiger’s revenge. “I interpret it in such a way that he has not yet come to terms with last year’s defeat,” grumbled the Grisons in the SRF interview.
Bild:
Keystone
“You have to overtake wherever possible. Where ‹Math› tried it, it didn’t work. That was definitely ‹too much›. There are limits somewhere,” said the nine-time world champion, who following crossing the finish line gave his compatriot a few imprecations that weren’t ready for printing (“You’re not normal!”) and a slap on the back that was hardly meant to be collegial.
Flückiger, on the other hand, assessed the scene as “a normal duel as always” – as a normal duel in which, unlike in previous years, he showed more willingness to extend his elbows, as he admitted. “I used to give in too often in duels. It was different this time, »said Flückiger. Nevertheless, there was no reason to “grin”, said the Bernese: “At the World Cup, Nino taught me how to overtake and how to drive cheekily. Now it was the other way around. I don’t understand his anger. He’s put his elbows out before.”
He’s sorry regarding what happened, but that’s an occupational hazard: “It’s a race, man once morest man, everyone wants to win. Of course it’s a shame that the race ended like this.”
One of the reasons for Schurter’s frustration is that he lost his chance to set a prestigious record. The 36-year-old missed his 34th World Cup win in Olympic cross-country, overtaking former French rival Julien Absalon.
more, now
