Schurter, a seven-time overall cross country World Cup winner, has won 32 World Cups in his career and now has the chance to draw level with Absalon in his home race.

The Swiss rider won the cross country world title for the ninth time in August and won gold at Rio 2016.

He will get the chance to make history in front of 10,000 spectators, something he says he is excited about.

"Finally another World Cup with an audience," Schurter said.

"I am very motivated. 

"A win at the home race is of course a dream. 

"To equal the World Cup record is and will remain one of my goals, but unfortunately I can no longer see where that will be the case. 

"It would be awesome if it worked in Lenzerheide of all places."

Schurter is fifth in the overall standings in 2021, more than 500 points behind leader and compatriot Mathias Flückiger, who enters the competition in confident mood.

"I lead the World Cup and that gives me confidence," said Flückiger.

"I just have to do my thing and race like I've always done until now. 

"The competition is very strong, but if everything goes according to plan, I should do it now. 

"Depending on the course, I can force a preliminary decision in Lenzerheide, that would of course be great."

In the women's cross country competition, France's Loana Lecomte leads the way with four wins from four races in a dominant season thus far.

Team-mate and European champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is the closest challenger, 375 points behind.

The cross country competition will take place over a sprint course tomorrow and the Olympic distance on the final day of the World Cup (September 5).

In the men's downhill, which will take place on Saturday (September 4), Thibaut Dapréla of France holds a slender lead ahead of Austria's Troy Brosnan and Greg Minnaar of South Africa, while Myriam Nicole of France and Camille Balanche of Switzerland are tied at the top of the women's standings.

The top five women - completed by Austria's Vali Höll, Britain's Tahnee Seagrave and Monika Hrastnik of Slovenia - are separated by less than 150 points.

Second-place Balanche said: "The World Cup is really exciting this year. 

"There are so many female riders who can win a World Cup and after three races the field is so close together. 

"There is no room for mistakes this season."

The World Cup series will conclude in Snowshoe in the United States later this month.