From Drama to Glory

2023 was packed full of action and delivered a wide spread of emotions. Some were incredible, some we won’t miss.

Feldbach, Switzerland. The 2023 season was a special one for the SCOTT-SRAM MTB racing team, a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences that challenged the team as a whole to go to their maximum. Starting with a successful training camp and first race action in South Africa back in early February, before almost directly heading into the first big highlight of the season and toughest challenge in mountainbiking, the Cape Epic.
A year of misfortune and serious injuries that disrupted the plans right from the start. But it was also a year of historic triumphs, a season that wrote history like in a modern MTB fairytale.

Time to reflect on what made the team suffer and celebrate during this year packed full of action. Tune in for the 2023 Season Recap Edit, live from today:.

“Running a racing team with passion always sends you off on a roller coaster ride of emotions. This was no different in 2023!”

Thomas Frischknecht
Team Manager
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

World Cup victory #34 in Lenzerheide – History made in front of family and friends
Imagery: Michal Cerveny, Remy Fabregue

After the knot burst in the current season, N1NO was able to secure even his 35th World Cup victory, a strong 3rd place at the World Championships and the overall World Cup title. Another successful season comes to an end for the Greatest of All Time!

“Winning another two World Cup races, breaking records and then securing the overall victory was beyond anything I imagined. It’s been a journey of surprises, surpassing my own limits, and finding a whole new level of joy in what I do. This season has proven that hard work combined with fun pays off, and the feeling of achieving more than I thought possible has made this journey even more exhilarating!”

Nino Schurter
9x World Cup Overall Champion
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

SCOTT Spark RC special #34 design to celebrate the record breaking victory
Imagery: Michal Cerveny

Filippo Colombo

Many had been eagerly awaiting the first race of the promising team addition Filippo Colombo in 2023, but his MTB World Cup debut in the SCOTT-SRAM kit was abruptly curtailed when he suffered a serious injury in the legendary Paris-Roubaix road race. For a long time it was unclear if and when he would be back in the MTB World Cup circus in 2023, but it wouldn’t be Filippo if he didn’t give it his all and fight his way back from injury.
Back in the squad for the World Cups in the second half of the season and, initially cautiously, he impressed everyone with top 10 finishes that made people sit up and take notice of his potential for the 2024 season.

“It was the toughest and most mentally difficult season of my career. However, it made me grow a lot as an athlete and now I am more motivated than ever to return to the top.”

Filippo Colombo
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

Cautious start at the first World Cup Race after the injury in Les Gets
Imagery: Michal Cerveny, Nick Muzik, Remy Fabregue

Andri Frischknecht

Andri made a promising start to the season with good results and good form, which he was also able to demonstrate at the Cape Epic. However, the extremely tough start to this year’s Cape Epic and a subsequent cancellation due to illness had an impact on the rest of his season.

“After a really strong start this year with a winning streak in March and a strong Cape Epic. Unfortunately this season did not unfold as expected making it the toughest one so far in my career. But next year will be different and I’m excited to work hard for my goals”, Andri Frischknecht explains.

Kate Courtney

Kate Courtney started the 2023 season with great ambitions, with the Pan American Championship title in her luggage, which she won at the beginning of the year. After successfully working her way up to a top 10 finish, she was unable to confirm this in the past season.

But if one thing has become clear, it is that she is here to fight and get up after every knockdown. We are already looking forward to the 2024 season!

“This season was a really inspiring one for me. It started off strong with a few big US Cup wins and two gold medals at the Pan American Championship. I again raced consistently in the top 15 through the majority of World Cup starts, but found myself still struggling to progress back to that front group.”

Kate Courtney
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

“After a few challenging end of season races, I made the decision to move on from my coach of 7 years and try a new approach. The end of the season involved a lot of learning and, while it did not show on the race course just yet, I left the season feeling motivated and inspired by what I may be able to achieve in the future. I will be working hard than ever, but in a new and different way that I hope can bring out my very best. As always, I am incredibly grateful to the team for the constant world class support – on and off the race course. Already can’t wait to line up again in 2024,” Kate explains.

2023 was an exciting journey with highs and lows for the whole team. None of this would have been possible without the consistent top performances and uncompromising support of the helpers, such as team mechanics Kurt Gross and Yannick Gyger, team physio Julia Hegar and more.