The Scott Sram MTB Racing Team is planning its future for the next Olympic Games with significant changes. Both World Champion Kate Courtney and European Champion Lars Forster will be joining the team for the next two seasons. With Olympic and World Champion Nino Schurter and Andri Frischknecht, two riders from last year's formation will remain. Matthias Stirnemann (SUI) and Michiel van der Heijden (NED), on the other hand, have left the team.

Potential already recognized before the World Championships

Not many people had Kate Courtney on their list of favorites for a medal at the World Championships. Although she won the Cape Epic and the US championship title in her first year as an elite rider, she was only considered a secret favorite by a few optimistic experts who knew her potential. In Lenzerheide, she then surprised not only her competitors but also the entire mountain bike scene with the ride of her life.

It should be mentioned that the Scott-Sram team already believed in Courtney's talent and her great potential before the world championships. Team boss Thomas Frischknecht is optimistic that this was just the first spark of a great firework display. Kate knows exactly what she wants and is prepared to give 110 percent to achieve her goals,
he says.
Courtney is also very happy about the big change: "I'm delighted to be part of the Scott Sram MTB Racing Team. This team is an incredible opportunity for me to work with the legendary Thomas Frischknecht and ride with my talented teammates, especially the reigning world champion Nino Schurter. The team has a unique atmosphere that both maintains a champion standard and continues to inspire enthusiasm and love for the sport at all levels. It is an honor to learn from such knowledgeable individuals with a strong passion for the sport and a wealth of experience pursuing big goals and making Olympic dreams a reality. With their support and a shared vision for the future, I'm excited to get to work and see what we can achieve together in the 2019 season and beyond."

23-year-old Kate Courtney was born in the birthplace of mountain biking, the San Francisco Bay Area. She also lives there and graduated from Standford University before focusing entirely on the sport. The twelve-time US champion already has an impressive palmares. In 2017, she won the U23 Overall World Cup and the silver medal at the U23 World Championships.

Forster's dream comes true

Another strong addition to the Scott-Sram team is Lars Forster. Like most Swiss riders, the former U23 world champion has so far been somewhat overshadowed by Nino Schurter. At this year's European Championships in Glasgow, he stepped out of this shadow when he crossed the finish line in first place.
The all-round talent is also the reigning Swiss cyclo-cross champion. Lars is also familiar with the World Cup podium and is one of the top eight riders in the UCI world rankings. His ambitions match those of Kate.

The 25-year-old Olympian says: "In order to develop further towards the Olympic Games in Tokyo, it is a great advantage to be at Nino Schurter's side. Since the beginning of my career, I have dreamed of becoming a member of Thomas Frischknecht's team, my role model from my early days. Together we can reach the next level."

Team boss Thomas Frischknecht knows Lars Forster very well: "Lars not only lives in the immediate vicinity of the team headquarters, he is also a training partner of Andri Frischknecht and a close friend of Yanick "the Mechanic" Gyger. After all this time, the team is delighted to welcome Lars to the family."

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