It’s almost unthinkable today, but when Guido took part in his first race, he wore a pair of Wellington boots to help him cope with the wet conditions. But the wellies were symptomatic of the analytical approach and meticulous preparation that has helped make Guido one of the world’s leading mountain bike riders and a previous 4X star.

Overtaking manoeuvres almost always means body contact, and taking the wrong line can often spell disaster. Guido makes fewer mistakes than most. “One of my greatest strengths is that I have an eye for the line. If I really need to, I can make it to the front again after a bad start,” says Tschugg,

To keep him on top of his game, Guido bought two gates so he could practice his starts and a digger so he could remodel his training tracks. He obviously put the digger to good use, being the designer of the permanent track at Leogang in Austria, host of 2012's World Championships!