The Caveman & The Professor

Initiation

It was June 2001, Richmond, Virginia, an American city with a gritty, industrial edge along the James River. The air buzzed with anticipation as Conrad Stoltz and Nico Lebrun stood on the edge of an arena that was completely new to them. Both 28 years old, both eager to prove themselves, yet hailing from wildly different backgrounds. 

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Conrad “The Caveman” Stoltz, had grown up bashing through the rugged terrains of South Africa, while Nico “The Professor” Lebrun, had spent his early years calculating his steps in the isolated mountains of the French Alps. Neither knew it then, but this initiation into XTERRA would be the start of something that would shape the rest of their careers and cement their legacies in the sport.

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It wasn’t just another race. They both felt it, and that pulsating tension in the air hinted that this was no ordinary triathlon. It was their first-ever XTERRA race, a format that pushes boundaries and blends nature with competition. Both came to Richmond with something to prove. They had both already seen success in other sports—Stoltz, a two-time Olympian with a strong background in road triathlon, and Lebrun, a champion in duathlon—but XTERRA was different. It was raw. It was uncharted territory for both of them, and neither knew what awaited them on that course.

For Stoltz, the adventure began before he even hit the start line. He was used to technical challenges, but his preparation for this race was anything but smooth. “I borrowed a mountain bike from Joe Umphenour, who was with me at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,” Stoltz recalled. The bike was a strange contraption, a Soft Ride mountain bike without suspension forks. “It had a flexi-stem, and I thought I could get away with it,” he laughed, remembering the bike’s wacky design. Armed with road pedals, road shoes, and a Speedo, he was far from ready for the technical nature of XTERRA. "The bike didn’t have room for a bottle cage, so I used a running Camelback around my waist for water."

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When Stoltz arrived in Richmond, he was immediately blown away by the technicality of the course. "There were no designated mountain bike paths. It was fisherman's trails next to the banks of the James River, and I struggled so much on that bike." The course was a series of obstacles, raw and untamed, with sections requiring riders to jump from one island to another over massive rocks. He knew instantly that he wasn’t equipped for this. “I realized I needed mountain bike shoes and mountain bike pedals,” he admitted. After five days of pre-riding and primordial rigging his old cycling shoes back together with screws, The Caveman stood at the starting line, rattled but ready to dive into the unknown.

“It wasn’t just another race. They both felt it, and that pulsating tension in the air hinted that this was no ordinary triathlon.”

On the other side of the spectrum was Lebrun, who came to Richmond on a personal mission. "It was a big deal for me," he said. "My first time traveling to the US by myself." Unlike Stoltz, Lebrun wasn’t a newcomer to international racing, but this was different. He had been racing in long-distance duathlons, a bit of triathlon, and winter triathlons. But he was at a point where he needed to try something new. “I wasn’t able to be 100% financially stable from it,” he reflected. “You’re too old to keep playing around like this,” he had told himself before deciding to give XTERRA a shot. “I absolutely had to try it in the US,” he said.

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Lebrun approached XTERRA Richmond not as a competitor ready to crush the field, but as an athlete seeking something different, a new experience. “When I went to Richmond, my mentality was to have fun,” he explained. “I discovered a great group around the race, the XTERRA Crew. They came to pick me up at the airport, helped with the hotel. Everything was new and crazy for me.” But even with that mindset, Lebrun was there to race, and it didn’t take long before his competitive spirit kicked in.

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As the gun went off, the James River, with its tricky currents and sandbanks, greeted them. Stoltz launched into the water, embracing what he described as “the most technical swim I had ever done before.” The swim required navigating across multiple currents, swimming at an angle to avoid being pulled off course, and then running across an island before jumping back into the water for more. "I came out of the swim with the leaders, which was awesome," Stoltz said. But as soon as he got on the bike, the real challenge began. Mike Vine, a top Canadian XTERRA athlete, "came flying past me, and by the end of the bike, he had made four minutes on me," Stoltz remembered. "He completely blew me away."

Lebrun, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen at the front during the swim. “I didn’t see him during the race because he’s typically a poor swimmer,” Stoltz said. While The Caveman was fighting off Mike Vine, Lebrun was quietly making his way through the field. "The course didn’t suit him so well because it was quite flat and technical, and Nico is more of a mountain guy," Stoltz explained. But The Professor's strength was analyzing and dissecting the bike and the run, and that’s where he excelled.

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As Stoltz struggled on the technical course, dealing with a dropped chain and making adjustments, two more riders passed him—former XTERRA World Champions, Ned Overend and Steve Larsen from the USA. “I kept them in sight towards the end of the bike,” Stoltz said. But by the time they hit the run, he was holding on for second. He wasn’t the fastest runner, but in XTERRA, the ruggedness of the run levels the playing field. He managed to finish in second place, which for his first XTERRA was a great result. "I wasn’t a fantastic runner," he admitted, "but in XTERRA, I ran decent."

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Lebrun crossed the finish line in third, thrilled with his performance. “I was really happy with that,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t know Conrad Stoltz at all.” It was only later that Lebrun realized who he had been racing against. "He was from South Africa, coming from road triathlon and the Olympics, while I was coming from duathlon. We were two rookies, both coming from different types of races.”

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After the race, they finally crossed paths. Stoltz was struck by Lebrun’s minimal English, and offered to help with translation, tapping into his own experience from racing in France. "I spoke French, so I helped him with his translation with the organizers," Stoltz said. “I enjoyed it. Being a foreigner in the States, it was really cool to connect with other foreigners.”

"Neither knew it then, but this initiation into XTERRA would shape the rest of their careers and cement their legacies in the sport."

But even in their first meeting, their differences were clear. Stoltz had made a name for himself as a fearless competitor, charging through technical courses, unafraid to crash, while Lebrun was more calculated, studying every inch of the course. "Nico would scout the lines before the race,” Stoltz explained. “I would get there first, but by the end of a technical section, he would overtake me."

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Their contrasting styles would define their careers in the years to come. But in Richmond 2001, they were two awestruck athletes from completely different worlds, standing on the edge of a new frontier in off-road triathlon. Neither could have known that they would go on to become two of the most celebrated XTERRA athletes in history.

The Caveman’s Conquest

With 7 world titles to his name—4 in XTERRA and 3 in ITU Cross Triathlon—the former Olympian (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004), 10-time XTERRA USA Series Champion, and over 53 XTERRA global race victories under his belt, Conrad Stoltz's career reads like a myth, but it’s all real.

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Having competed in over 1,000 races across multiple disciplines, from off-road triathlon to mountain biking and road triathlons, Stoltz carved out a legacy over 23 years of professional racing. Now the Race Director for XTERRA South Africa, he’s shifted from athlete to architect, helping shape the sport he loves. His journey, though, started long before the accolades, in a small South African town, where his roots were first planted.

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Growing up in Lydenburg, located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, Stoltz is the son of two school teachers who were also heavily involved in sports. “South Africa has a unique school system where we had school in the mornings, and then from 2 p.m. onward, it was sport,” Stoltz recalled. His first steps were literally in the shot-put circle, where his father coached. By age 8, Stoltz was already running long-distance events, competing in everything from the 800m to high jump, rugby, cricket, tennis, and even judo. But there was one thing that stood out for him more than the others—his love for BMX racing.

In the 1980s, BMX exploded in South Africa, and it became Stoltz’s playground. "I remember very vividly my first BMX that I got for Christmas. I absolutely loved it," he said. “I built jumps, played in the parks, and saw if I could skid the furthest. BMX was something I picked up on my own, outside of school." Riding, crashing, and building up the instinct to push limits, BMX laid the foundation for the future Caveman’s competitive spirit. "I wasn’t the best, though. I was typically third or fourth, sometimes second. But I just loved it."

“My dad always tried to go a little bit faster, pushing me to keep up.”

He wasn’t the fastest on the field or track either, but Stoltz quickly gravitated toward endurance sports. Long-distance running became a key part of his life, spurred by his parents, who were avid joggers. "I remember running with my dad in the streets," Stoltz said, smiling at the memory. “We’d do 5K races together, then 10Ks. My dad always tried to go a little bit faster, pushing me to keep up.” These early experiences of grinding out miles on foot and pedal, just for the love of it, would become critical as Stoltz’s sporting career took shape.

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By the time he hit 13, Stoltz stumbled across the sport that would define him. "I was flipping through a newspaper and saw an article on triathlon," Stoltz said. "What really captured my sense of adventure was the idea that first, you’re a swimmer, then you immediately become a cyclist, then a runner. It was the sense of adventure, of doing different things back to back, that hooked me."

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But there was one big problem—he couldn’t swim. "I could stay upright in the water and jump around, but I couldn’t swim a proper length in the school pool,” Stoltz admitted. At age 13, he had to start learning to swim from scratch. “It took me forever. Even through high school, swimming was my weakest link." But despite the struggle, Stoltz was determined, and triathlon became his focus.

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As a teenager, Stoltz entered his first triathlon, the Iron Kids Triathlon. "I had no idea what I was doing," he laughed. "My tires were flat, I got a puncture during the race, and I had to run my bike to the finish because I didn’t want to damage the tire. But I absolutely loved it. I was 7th or 8th in my age group, but I didn’t care—I was hooked." His love for the sport was instantaneous, and it wasn’t long before he moved into adult races.

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By age 14, Stoltz had left behind rugby and cricket to focus on his newfound passion. "I completely fell in love with triathlon," he said. That same year, mountain biking started to explode in South Africa, and for Christmas, Stoltz received a Bridgestone mountain bike—the cheapest model you could get, but enough to stoke the fire within him. "I just loved exploring," he said. "There weren’t official mountain bike trails back then, just footpaths through the bush next to roads. It wasn’t smooth or flowy, but it was real, and it made me love the technical side of riding."

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But swimming remained his Achilles heel. "The horror of having to wear a Speedo for swimming is one of my first memories," Stoltz said, cringing slightly. "I really struggled in the beginning." Despite training 5 or 6 times a week, swimming distances of up to 3 or 4 kilometers, he was always the kid trailing behind. "I matured quite late," he said. “I was one of the slower kids.” But Stoltz’s persistence and love for the sport kept him moving forward.

In high school, Stoltz’s swimming improved, but it still wasn’t where it needed to be. He grew up without access to indoor pools, swimming only in the summer months. "When I moved to Pretoria, it got better," he explained. "But I couldn’t really train for swimming when we were on the farm in Lydenburg. It was a fantastic place for running and mountain biking, but swimming—forget about it."

"What really captured my sense of adventure was the idea that first, you’re a swimmer, then you immediately become a cyclist, then a runner."

That farm life shaped Stoltz in ways that extended beyond his endurance. He recalls training on footpaths, exploring every inch of his surroundings, running and riding through the South African landscape. “I’d ride my mountain bike to school every day—it was about 3 kilometers,” he said. "And instead of going straight home, I’d explore, push myself to climb different hills, and take tougher routes."

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It was in these early years that Stoltz earned his nickname, "The Caveman." The name, however, didn’t come from his exploits on the bike just yet. "It actually came from my dad," Stoltz said. "When I was a kid, I’d mess around with his tools in the tool shed, and he’d always say, ‘You’re such a caveman; everything you touch breaks.’" The name stuck, and as Stoltz’s career took off, so did the legend of The Caveman. "Later, when I started testing new bikes, I’d often break them. If I didn’t break a bike during a test, we’d call it ‘Caveman-proof.’"

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That rugged, all-in attitude carried into his racing style. Stoltz didn’t take the careful line; he bashed through whatever was in front of him, straight over rocks, logs, and whatever else stood between him and the finish line. "If the route meandered or got technical, I’d just go straight through it," Stoltz said with a grin.

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His reputation as The Caveman grew even more during his time in the United States. From 2001 to 2003, Stoltz lived at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, helping prepare American athletes for cycling. "I lived off-campus, renting this basement that was completely covered in vines, and the door didn’t close properly, so it always stayed open," he said. "It looked like a cave, and whenever people asked where I was, they’d say, ‘He’s probably in his cave.’"

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But it wasn’t just his physique that earned the name—though at 6’3" and 90kg, Stoltz certainly looked the part. It was his fearless approach to the sport, his unflinching ability to take on the roughest terrain, the most brutal conditions, and keep moving forward. He was The Caveman not just because he looked the part but because he lived it.

Stoltz’s early years were a grind—living off the little money he made from weekend races, scraping by with nothing but a bag of dirty laundry at the end of the season. But as he continued to push his limits on the technical trails of France, his hunger for adventure grew. It was this relentless drive that eventually led him to XTERRA.

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"After the Olympics, I was struggling to get my passion back for triathlon," he said. “I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t get back into road triathlon.” His coach suggested trying something different. Stoltz found that spark in an American triathlon magazine. There, in a double-page spread, was Steve Larsen, a mountain biking icon in the U.S., carrying his bike through a knee-deep stream in Richmond, Virginia, during an XTERRA race. “The prize money looked good, but it was more than that—it appealed to my sense of adventure,” Stoltz said. He knew XTERRA was where he needed to be.

The Professor's Pursuit

Born in 1973 (the same year as Stoltz), it was Nicolas Lebrun’s destiny from the high-altitude village of Peïra-Cava in the French Alps to reach the top. His career spanned nearly two decades, during which he became a 10-time French champion in duathlon and winter triathlon, the 2005 XTERRA World Champion, and a two-time XTERRA US Champion. Over the course of his XTERRA career, he secured 90 top-five finishes, including 32 wins and four XTERRA European Tour Championships, marking him as one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport.

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But before the medals, titles, and accolades, there was a young, independent boy in a remote mountain village 1,500 meters above sea level with a population of only 50. "I was born in Nice, in the south of France, but that was just for the hospital," Lebrun recalled. "My parents were living in Peïra-Cava, a very small village 40 km from Nice. It was high up in the mountains, with a lot of snow in the winter, and the village was really tiny." His childhood in the Alps was anything but ordinary, filled with solitude and nature, a world where there were more trees than people. “It was a very wide-open place with almost no other kids. I felt a little bit like Tarzan in the winter.”

From a young age, Lebrun spent most of his time hiking through the forests and climbing trees. He didn't realize it then, but the mountain air and steep terrain were giving him a natural endurance that would later help him in the world of endurance sports. “Growing up at that altitude, constantly walking and running, gave me a high VO2 max without even knowing it. So, when I went down to sea level to attend bigger schools, running against other kids was much easier for me.”

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Despite his isolated upbringing, Lebrun’s childhood wasn’t without its challenges. His family’s mountain village with limited educational opportunities, made him feel left behind. "The school system in my village wasn’t great. I couldn’t even write my name properly, and my level was really low. When I was 11, I had to move to a boarding school. It was a huge change," he explained. The transition from the peaceful mountains to the harsh environment of boarding school hit Lebrun hard. "That was where I started to learn how bad people could be. Coming from my small village, I was completely unaware of things like violence or theft. At boarding school, I suffered a lot. I was teased, bullied, and completely unprepared for how cruel people could be."

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From ages 11 to 14, those years were some of the hardest of Lebrun’s life. He found himself isolated, mocked, and forced into survival mode. "I wasn’t competitive when I was young. For me, life was about playing by myself, creating games out of things. But at boarding school, I had to change. I didn’t fit in, and to survive, I became part of the troublemakers," he said. With long hair, earrings, and a leather jacket, Lebrun adopted a rebellious persona. "It wasn’t because I liked any of it. It was just survival. I smoked, I fought, and I got into trouble. Those years were a disaster."

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It wasn’t until he turned 15 and transferred to a new private school that things started to change. "That’s when I discovered running," Lebrun said. "It wasn’t something I had planned. We started doing long-distance runs, and I quickly realized I was way better than the other kids." This newfound skill was a revelation for Lebrun, and it sparked a transformation. “I had long hair, I smoked, and I didn’t look like an athlete, but my genetics and my upbringing in the mountains were hidden inside me.”

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For the first time in his life, Lebrun was good at something, and it changed everything. "That discovery was life-changing. My confidence grew, and I started to take sports seriously." This new confidence bled into every aspect of his life. He began to excel in school, cut his hair, and made better friends. "I realized I didn’t want to waste my time doing things I wasn’t good at. Sports became my whole life."

“Growing up at that altitude, constantly walking and running, gave me a high VO2 max without even knowing it."

Lebrun attended culinary school to please his parents, but his heart was never in it. “Even when I was excelling at culinary school, I knew I didn’t want to be a chef. It was a backup plan, something to fall back on if sports didn’t work out.” But sports were always calling. While training as a runner, Lebrun also picked up cycling. "It came naturally because of my childhood in the mountains. Biking uphill wasn’t a challenge for me." One day, he stumbled across a flyer for a winter triathlon that included cross-country skiing, biking, and running. "It seemed like the perfect sport for me, combining all the things I loved. But then, for two or three years, we didn’t get any snow in the south of the Alps, so all those races were canceled."

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Despite the setback, Lebrun was determined to keep moving forward. A friend suggested he try a regular triathlon. "I didn’t know how to swim at all, but I decided to give it a try," Lebrun said, laughing. In his first triathlon near Nice, Lebrun’s swim was weak, but no one could touch him on the bike or run. "That’s when I got hooked. I loved the challenge of it."

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Lebrun’s triathlon journey, however, was never straightforward. He struggled with swimming throughout his career, which held him back from winning more races. "Growing up in the mountains, swimming wasn’t something I had access to. The sea was 40 km away, and I wasn’t used to the water. I didn’t learn how to swim properly until I was about 14 or 15, and by then, it was just about surviving." Despite training diligently, swimming remained his weakest discipline. "If I had stayed in Nice and focused on swimming with a coach, I would’ve been better, but I chose to stay in the mountains."

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Living in the mountains shaped Lebrun’s life in more ways than one. It made him an exceptional rider and runner, but it also hindered his swimming. "It was a lifestyle choice," he admitted. "Living in the mountains made me stronger in some areas but held me back in others."

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By 2001, Lebrun was ready to take on a new challenge—XTERRA. That year, he traveled to the United States for the first time to compete in the XTERRA race in Richmond, Virginia. "It was a big deal for me," he said. "My first time traveling to the US alone." Lebrun had no idea what XTERRA held for him, but it quickly became a turning point. "I finished third behind Conrad Stoltz and Mike Vine. It was my first XTERRA race, and I had no idea what I was getting into. But I saw the prize money, and I realized this could be something big."

Lebrun, who had been considering retiring from professional sports, suddenly found new life in XTERRA. “The prize money was enough that I could finally start paying my bills as a full-time pro. I thought this would be my last season, but XTERRA changed everything.” He returned to the US for several more races, eventually moving there with his wife Alex for six months in 2009.

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Throughout his XTERRA career, Lebrun developed a reputation for his cerebral approach to racing. "They called me ‘The Professor’ because I was always studying the course and thinking about strategy," he explained. The nickname came to life in 2008 when he was leading a race with Felix Schumann, a German XTERRA athlete. Schumann kept looking back to see if anyone was catching up. "I yelled at him, ‘Stop looking back! This race is between you and me,’" Lebrun said, laughing. "I was teaching him how to race while we were running. After that, people started calling me ‘The Professor.’”

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Lebrun’s intellectual approach to racing stood in stark contrast to Stoltz’s fearless style. "Conrad would just let go of the brakes and go straight forward, while I was more about studying the course," Lebrun said. "I’ve always had a fear of crashing, so I was more calculated."

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Despite their different approaches, both Lebrun and Stoltz pushed each other to new heights, with Lebrun earning his own XTERRA World Championship title in 2005. “XTERRA gave me everything,” Lebrun said. "It wasn’t just the races; it was the community. The XTERRA Family was different from any other sport I’d been in. They were friendly, welcoming, and it felt like a second home."

Rivals and Friends

Despite their competitive nature, something special happened when Conrad Stoltz and Nico Lebrun came together in XTERRA. From their first encounters in 2001 to their final races, the two men were tied together by a unique bond that went beyond the typical rivalry in sports. As competitors, they pushed each other to new heights, but they also forged a friendship that extended off the trails.

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"In XTERRA, we would often share houses with seven to ten athletes from all over the world,” Lebrun explained. “That’s something very difficult to find in many other sports. In road triathlon, people mostly stay in the same hotel or share accommodations only with people from their own country. With XTERRA, we shared homestays and became closer to each other,” he continued. “The atmosphere was warmer, with the organizers and the athletes. It’s something that makes XTERRA special, and we always hope it can continue to be this way.”

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Stoltz, too, felt the difference immediately. “XTERRA Lake Tahoe was the USA Championship and it was the final of the 2001 season. The organizers got us a holiday home, so we were a bunch of athletes that could share the house together, and Nico was one of the guys,” he recalled. “That’s where I got to know Nico, and the French came in really handy. At the time, it was hard for him because of his English—he couldn’t speak it well. He was traveling from Europe, and I spent the whole summer in the USA while he would fly in for every XTERRA race, all the way from Europe, just for one race, so logistically, it was probably a nightmare for him.”

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Lebrun confirmed the challenges he faced during that time. "It was my first year traveling outside of France, and it was difficult for me to speak English. Since Conrad had spent many years racing in the French Grand Prix, it was very comfortable to speak French with him." They bonded over their shared experiences, with Lebrun slowly realizing just how much experience Stoltz had. “I started to understand who he was. He had way more experience than I did in triathlon and international travel—he had even competed in the Olympics. He was a much bigger name in the sport than I was.”

But that didn’t stop them from teasing each other. Lebrun remembered that week in Tahoe with particular fondness. "Conrad ate garlic and potatoes the whole time, and we made fun of him for that," he said, laughing. Stoltz added, “He’d laugh at me for eating potatoes three times a day, but I was also very much into eating French cheeses. We had meals together, and we would go to pre-race briefings together. But every athlete had their own specific preparation.”

“As much as you want to be friends, it’s hard when you’re competing for the top of the podium.”

Despite their growing friendship, the tension of competition never fully disappeared. Lebrun described it as a complicated dynamic. “It was also a tense time because Conrad was often the stronger racer. He would be in first, and I would be behind him in second or third. As much as you want to be friends, it’s hard when you’re competing for the top of the podium. It wasn’t easy to become close friends because of that tension.”

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Conrad and Nico may not have trained together often, but they shared some memorable pre-race moments. One of the most striking took place in Half Moon Bay, California, during the US tour. "We even had a race there, maybe for two years as part of the US tour—I think it was 2002 or 2003," Lebrun recalled. "We went swimming together. You had to swim in the harbor because it was a cold area with sharks, so it wasn’t really a nice place to swim." As they were swimming, something unexpected happened. "At one point, Conrad wanted to do some speed swimming, and I dropped behind. He waited for me, and when I got to his position, a seal popped up in between us. Its head just came out of the water, right between us. We both yelled, scared, and the seal got scared too and swam away. It was a really funny moment in California.”

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Through all their races, there were lighthearted moments as well as fierce competition. One thing that always stood out was Lebrun’s fun-loving nature, especially at the after-parties. "Nico was always fantastic. He was incredible at dressing up," Stoltz said, chuckling. "He would pick out really good costumes and be very good at acting and playing the role—dressing up as a Frenchman, going all out with a little cigarette behind his ear and a beret. He would be very funny when he let his hair down."

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Lebrun had his own fond memories of their travels together. "I remember one time in Swansea, Wales, around 2007 or 2008. Conrad came to Europe to race as part of the XTERRA European Tour. After one of the races in Swansea, all the athletes went to town. We had so much fun on Saturday night; there was a costume party in the streets, and everyone was dressed up. It was such a great memory.”

Despite the fun, there was always the serious side of racing. Both men kept their strategies to themselves when it came to race day. "Everyone keeps their own strategy close to their chest," Stoltz admitted. "Some people are super secretive, but I wouldn’t consider myself or Nico like that. We were vocal. What you see is what you get with Nico and myself."

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Their rivalry was built on a foundation of respect. "Our game plans were very opposite from each other,” Stoltz explained. “I would be swimming at the front of the pack, and Nico would be quite far back. If I didn’t see him all day, I still knew there was a very good chance he would catch me in the later part of the run.” Stoltz said in 2011 at Snowbasin Resort, Utah for the XTERRA USA Championship, “If you hear Nico coming, it’s too late.” 

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Lebrun agreed, noting the different strengths they brought to the course. “Conrad was always a faster swimmer, so he would be in the lead pack or close to it. He had good technique on the bike and a lot of power. I was almost always faster than him on the run, and sometimes I could beat him on the bike if there was a lot of climbing because I was lighter and more of a mountain guy.”

"Some people are super secretive, but I wouldn’t consider myself or Nico like that. We were vocal. What you see is what you get with Nico and myself."

But their rivalry wasn’t without its hardships. In 2005, at the XTERRA World Championship in Maui, Lebrun proved his grit when he won despite suffering an elbow injury. "One of my standout memories of Nico was when he won the World Champs in Maui in 2005,” Stoltz recalled. “In the last kilometer or two of the run, next to the ocean, the lava rock becomes really slippery. Nico fell, breaking his elbow right there. He had already beaten us all—he was ahead—but he finished the race and won with a broken elbow.”

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The following year, Stoltz broke his back while pre-riding the course at the 2006 XTERRA USA Championship. Just two days later, despite being in a sling and enduring immense pain, he showed up to support the XTERRA Community. The following year, he made an incredible comeback, winning almost everything in sight, including his third world title. After sustaining three compression fractures in his back and breaking his wrist in eight places, Stoltz rebounded in the 2007 XTERRA USA Championship series, claiming victory in four out of five races, including the USA Championship, and securing the XTERRA World Championship title

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Stoltz admired Lebrun’s honesty and leadership in the sport. “Nico and I are both easy-going, but if we thought the course was unsafe or too easy, we would voice our concerns to the organizers. Nico was especially vocal, and that was fantastic.”

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Even in moments of disagreement, their bond remained strong. “During pre-race briefings, there were moments when we had disagreements,” Lebrun said. “If we had to decide whether to swim or not due to water quality or temperature conditions, I would be more vocal about canceling the swim, but Conrad never wanted to cancel. I think it was mostly because I wasn’t as good of a swimmer as him."

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Their friendship continued to grow even after they had both retired from professional racing. In 2015, they worked together on a commercial for a chain lube company that had sponsored both athletes during their careers. "We stayed at a campsite, shooting in the mornings and throughout the day,” Lebrun said. "By this point, we were both retired, not pros anymore, but it was a lot of fun. It’s a good memory."

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Stoltz echoed the sentiment. "By that point, Nico and I were old friends. We had raced against each other for so many years, but by then, there was no more fighting left. We were just friends, united by our love for XTERRA and our French connection."

A Youthful Future

The peak of their XTERRA journeys for both Conrad Stoltz and Nico Lebrun is yet to be reached as they lay the groundwork for the next generation of athletes. Shifting from fierce competitors to mentors, their mindsets are aligned: the future of XTERRA lies in the hands of youth.

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Stoltz, with his trademark Caveman resilience, has always been one to charge headfirst into any challenge. Now, his mission is a little different, but no less bold. He’s carving new paths for young athletes in Stellenbosch, South Africa, providing opportunities that go beyond racing and reach deep into the core of what sport can offer.

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“I’ve been a triathlete since I was 13,” Stoltz said, reflecting on his own journey. “And I’ve had my own path into triathlon. Recently, I accepted a job as a mountain bike skills development coach at the high school across the road from me. My role is to help with talent identification for previously disadvantaged kids and those from underprivileged families. There’s a bursary program—full scholarships covering boarding, fees, coaching, accommodation, travel to races, and everything.”

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In true Caveman fashion, Stoltz doesn’t just coach these kids—he rides with them, teaching them the grit and determination that propelled him to the top of XTERRA. But more than that, he offers them hope.

“We just finished doing the talent ID camps,” Stoltz said, his passion evident in every word. “We had a few across the region where kids would come and ride, and we’d pick 15 riders through a second camp. Next year, it’s going to be a big thing for me—choosing these 13, 14, and 15-year-old kids coming from difficult backgrounds and giving them the opportunity to come to this school in Stellenbosch to ride mountain bikes.”

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Stoltz added, “There’s so much you can gain from sport. If it weren’t for sport, Nico and I would never have met. If I can expose these kids to even the smallest elements of what I’ve experienced—meeting amazing people, traveling—it’ll be really satisfying.”

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But Stoltz’s commitment to youth development doesn’t stop with these up and coming athletes. “My oldest is nine, my middle boy is seven, and my youngest daughter just turned five,” he shared with pride. “My oldest daughter loves swimming, track and field, cross-country, and hockey. But when XTERRA comes around, she loves it. She’s done three XTERRA races since the age of five and absolutely loves it.”

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For the Caveman and his wife, Liezel—a former professional netball player—instilling a love for sport is more important than chasing victories. It’s about building character, resilience, and joy.

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“We believe what you put in is what you get out,” he explained. “We want them to fall in love with sport, to enjoy it, rather than focus on results. School coaches and parents often emphasize results—who’s winning—but for my wife and I, results come after. We want them to love what they do, learn skills, have fun, and enjoy it.”

While Stoltz is on the ground, riding alongside young athletes in South Africa, Nico Lebrun’s calculated vision for the future of XTERRA youth is more expansive, stretching across continents. Known as The Professor for his strategic approach to racing, Lebrun’s methodical mind has turned to nurturing the growth of XTERRA from a more global perspective.

"If I can expose these kids to even the smallest elements of what I’ve experienced—meeting amazing people, traveling—it’ll be really satisfying.”

“I don’t have kids of my own,” Lebrun shared. “So with my wife, Alex, we’ve devoted our lives to sport. The youth that we coached and trained have become like our kids. Our focus is on health, training, and lifestyle—helping young athletes with their dreams and the steps they need to take to reach their goals.”

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While Stoltz is working directly with young athletes, Lebrun has been instrumental in shaping the broader XTERRA Youth Tour, a new initiative launched in 2024. This year marks the tour’s first run, and it’s a bold step toward creating a dedicated space for youth in the XTERRA Community.

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“The youth initiative really started with Marco Zoppi, an XTERRA race director in Italy,” Lebrun explained. “We realized how important it was to grow this part of the sport. For me, it’s been a big part of ensuring that the XTERRA Family grows, becomes bigger, and more open for younger athletes.”

The culmination of this effort will be the 2024 XTERRA Youth World Championship, held on Sunday, September 29th, in Molveno, Italy. It’s the first time the youth will have their own World Championship, and it’s an event that promises to bring together the best young XTERRA athletes from around the globe.

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“We’re bringing 28 athletes from South Africa to Molveno for the 2024 XTERRA World Championship,” Stoltz revealed. “Out of those 28 athletes, 17 are youth. We may be one of the biggest contingents of athletes in Molveno. Once we’re in Italy, we’re going to train as a team, and I’ll teach them what I can. I’ll send them tips on the course and equipment beforehand.”

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For both Stoltz and Lebrun, investing in youth isn’t just about expanding XTERRA—it’s about creating a legacy that will outlast their own racing careers. They know the power of sport to change lives because it changed theirs.

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“The youth are the future of XTERRA,” Stoltz said simply, but with a depth of understanding that comes from decades in the sport. “Having events specifically for them, with distances and age categories designed for youth, will make them feel welcome and bring more kids into the sport.”

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Lebrun also reflected, “I’ve always tried to build a vision for youth development, to attract more young people and families to the sport,” he said. “Watching what Marco was doing with kids in Italy and understanding how the youth federation was developing helped me see the big picture. It’s important for so many reasons to focus on developing the youth.”

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As the two legends continue their journeys, their focus has shifted from personal victories to something even more significant—the future. And with the 2024 XTERRA Youth World Championship on the horizon, it’s clear that the sport they helped grow, will continue to thrive long after leaving the start line behind.