Video: Nino Schurter VS Mike Levy - Humbled
Eight World Championship titles. Seven World Cup overall titles. Bronze, silver, and gold Olympic medals. Four National Championships. He has thirty-two World Cup wins. Thirty-two! And in 2017, he put together the perfect season, winning every World Cup race and the World Champs. Nino Schurter, as well as his longtime rival Julian Absalon, is considered by many to be cross-country racing's GOAT. It certainly doesn't hurt that the Swissman does all the winning while also getting a bit sideways whenever he has the chance; meanwhile, much of his competition look scared stiff of what their bike is about to do to them.
Nino? He usually looks like he's just out there having some fun.
Lugano isn't where Schurter calls home, but he spends plenty of time in the area's surrounding mountains for the quality singletrack and consistent weather. The view ain't too shabby, either, it turns out, not that I'd be seeing much of that while choking on my tongue and breathing through my eyeballs. I was there to do some intervals with Nino, although that's probably a bit of a misleading way to describe it, and to see if the GOAT could learn a thing or three from me on the bike. Also not true.
Humbled #1 - Brendan Fairclough VS Mike Levy at Whistler
Humbled #2 - Richie Rude VS Mike Levy in the Gym
Humbled #3 - Gee Atherton VS Mike Levy at Crankworx
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#downcountryislife
Speaking of DC, where are the DC bike reviews!?
Don't think WC XC is for me
Nino: "No. But I bet you have."
I'm saying that him racing other elite level guys doesn't show how much faster he is than the average rider. Why are you being so hostile about this?
As the guy on the Krampus...I like waiting for those guys at the top, and the bottom. I'm a 200 pound enthusiast, I just don't totally suck vs. guys trying to spend their way to fast.
You don't feel any difference in oxygen level at such a low altitude. C'mon it is not the everest and it is closer to the sea level than say Mexico city or Bogotá.
bigger guys do more obviously but not going uphill as fast due to weight.
Edit found this re Bjarne Riis numbers but can't find the Jan Ulrich numbers - books.google.ca/books?id=J4sWHsiuSKMC&pg=PA93&lpg=PA93&dq=jan+ullrich+amstel+gold+watt+breakaway&source=bl&ots=Yjhbqep5mU&sig=ACfU3U3D96hVaxgAoJ7-WBWeDweTK1-ICQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkq8fs94XmAhXNl54KHb6dC5UQ6AEwCXoECA0QAQ#v=onepage&q=jan%20ullrich%20amstel%20gold%20watt%20breakaway&f=false
He was consistently fat over the winter and usually just got to race weight for the Tour.
Also sure on a level palying field, LA doesn't win that many Tours. Jan was an insane talent, just not as good at cheating as Lance.
www.velonews.com/2019/09/analysis/power-analysis-sepp-kusss-stage-15-win-at-the-vuelta_500502
www.velonews.com/2019/10/analysis/power-analysis-quinn-simmonss-world-championship-ride-in-yorkshire_501262
His numbers are weirdly not that impressive (for a pro, don't throw stones at me...). On Amstel, VDP pulled more than 700W on some segments (1 min effort after 150 km of heavy duty...), and managed to produce 1400W on a massive sprint after 10km full throttle alone (no one in front of to drag him, pretty much), and after 250 km at 350W average. That's what I call insane.
To me, Schurters' numbers tend to demonstrate that he is only made for mountain biking, and nothing else. He would also be destroyed in cyclocross I think. Eli Iserbyt would kick his ass (IMO).
I love that he races multiple disciplines.
But anyway, even if 1400W and 700W are obviously above, not all riders can reach those numbers, especially after 250km. Schurter can't (he tried on Tour de Romandie, but he was far from the best).
MvdP is a phenomenal rider but Alaphillipe would play with him on any steep extended climb. That’s why MvdP didn’t race Koppenberg this year after dying last year. Masses of watts but not the W/KG of the top cross guys, let alone the road field.
You want once in a generation talent? Evenepoel is on a different planet to anyone, ever. In a couple of years he’ll rewrite the rule book of what one rider is capable of.
However, by that time Evenepoel will be dropping the bunch whenever he feels like it.
I don't think the same ideas apply. There are practical reasons pro road racing has been slow to adopt certain mountain bike tech. I have a friend who does neutral service for pro racers...any idea what a headache disks are for them??
"Shut up Donnie - you're out of your element here"
In the 5 years Big Mig dominated the tour, mostly by destroying the TT, he never cracked to the point of him worrying.
Under Rick Jame's advice.
It's cool to be a fan but just spouting off admit numbers, out of context, is stupid. When it comes to watts/kg, they really aren't separated by much. And Nino has never tried to be anything but a mountain biker so of course, after 20+ years of training his body for that one discipline, he's only suited to mountain biking.
Pantani was an incredible, complicated talent, who battled depression, which he often used drugs to combat (aside from the performance aspect). He maintains god status in Italy...He certainly was exciting to watch race.
29" wheels are advantageous because they roll over obstacles well, there's no need for that on the road. That's why motorcycles aren't running the same diameter tires as trophy trucks.
Respect to Mike for trying his best, too.
But also nice to include the downhill bit. All these pros are excellent bike handlers, make no mistakes. People moan about the "easy" xc courses on here sometimes, but try going down them with black spots in your vision from oxygen debt after 50 mins of hard racing. Even on a big bike you may find that you cant keep up with a mid-pack xc pro in a situation like that.
@WAKIdesigns vs @mikelevy - Humbled
How steep was that descent? Because you can't tell on camera. Mike said that he knows some downhill riders that wouldn't ride that descent on an XC bike. Which is not surprising considering they don't ride XC bikes, and Nino does - for a profession.
More interesting would be seeing how Nino decends compared to say an EWS pro on say a Scott Ransom.
And even the climbs, how fit is Mike? Was it a big deal that Nino cleared the climb and Mike didn't? Mike doesn't sound that fit judging by the (over-amplified) breathing.
Don't get me wrong, I like Mike on camera though, he comes across well apart from way too much cussing.
Kevin
This is pretty good content though, so I can't really complain, even if @mikelevy plays up his own incompetence a bit much.
BUT, the reason we're not running any for the next few days is so our editors can catch up. @jasonlucas had the audacity to take a vacation in Costa Rica.
Best vid I’ve seen in a while
strange headline there.
YES, there are limits to what you can do with an XC bike and YES, putting lipstick on a pig does not make it all mountain.
Stoopid people, knives don't belong at a gun fight.
Levy, come on, he's just a little guy, you couldn't at least try to keep up
It's also particularly annoying that whenever you tell someone that you ride mountain bikes, they immediately conjure up an image of some sweaty, lycra-clad xc moron wobbling along a fireroad somewhere on a cheap hardtail with a wonky peakless helmet perched on their head.
I have a buddy who is a single speed national champ, I ride with him once in a while; when he's tired or sick
One time we were doing this climb, it was steep, I'm chugging on my geared bike, meanwhile he gets a phone call. Without breaking stride, he answers the call, and while chatting away he pulls away from me ... he was riding a single speed.
So yeah, there's athletes, then there's ATHLETES.
Levy would most probably kick you arse, so don't be a lil biatch.