Schurter and Suess rule again at BMC Cup in Solothurn

Scott-Odlo teammates Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel offered a masterly performance and prevailed against BMC's armada, comprised of World Cup leader Julien Absalon, BMC Racing Cup leader Moritz Milatz, Lukas Flueckiger, Ralph Naef, Reto Indergand and Martin Fanger. World Champion Schurter celebrated his fourth victory in Solothurn. In the women's race, Esther Suess even took her fifth win.

Men

After his stint to the Tour de Romandie, Schurter returned to mountain bike racing in a brillant manner. When he upped his pace halfway through the race, he opened up the crucial gap between himself and his pursuers to finally win solo with a lead of 26 seconds.

Although team BMC was numerically superior, Schurter's mid-race maneuver coerced them to chase him. On the other hand, his Scott teammate Florian Vogel also benefited from this situation. He joined the first chase group, settling into their pace and getting carried along with their momentum. Thanks to this tactically favourable constellation, Vogel saved enough energy to assert himself in the final stage of the race against an armada of BMC riders. Flueckiger was third, grinding his teeth. After his two World Cup wins, Absalon had come to Solothurn with high hopes. But he was not able to intervene in the fight at the top at any time.

"Since neither Lukas Flueckiger nor Martin Fanger went to the front, Florian Vogel held a gap open for me," said Schurter. "Actually, we had not planned to do this so early in the race. After it had happened, it was like a time trial for me."

Vogel said, "This race took a very specific turn. But it has been like that for years in Solothurn because this race is a blend between mountain bike and road race."

"It's possible to win or lose the race in Solothurn during the first five minutes. I lost it today," said Flückiger. He had crossed the finish line in third and was top BMC rider. However, he had actually hoped to win the race. "But things turned against us today. When Nino Schurter rode away, we had to do all the chasing," said Flückiger. "Moritz Milatz, Martin Fanger, and Ralph Naef have sacrificed themselves for the benefit of the team."

Absalon had crossed the finish line in fourth place. He said that he had not yet recovered from the excitement and the long journey home after his victory at the World Cup in Cairns, Australia. The preparation for the race in Solothurn had been difficult for him. "Of course, it's unfortunate to lose the race in this manner, despite our numerical superiority. But Nino was very strong indeed," said the World Cup leader.

Women

Forty-year-old Esther Suess laid the foundation for her fifth victory at the BMC Racing Cup in Solothurn when she put the hammer down in the penultimate of six laps. Her main contenders, World Cup winner Eva Lechner and the young French woman Margotte Moschetti, were some 38 seconds behind her when Suess hit the home stretch. Kathrin Stirnemann was poorly rewarded with fourth place. She had played a very lively part during the first laps of the race, but could not maintain the speed of the leaders in the final part.

"Since the first World Cup race in Pietermaritzburg I have had some breathing problems," said Suess. "I don't get enough air. That's why I was a bit scared entering the Solothurn race."

She was happy about the fact that there was not too high a pace at the beginning of the race. Since she was still able to stay in the leading group after three laps, she regained her self-confidence. Finally, when she launched her attack in the fifth lap she managed to open up a decisive gap.

Runner-up Lechner said, "I was still struggling after all the travelling and the high emotions at the World Cup in Australia." Just when Suess and Stirnemann had pulled clear on a climb in the forest, she made a mistake that finally hindered her from catching up with Suess again.

Third place for Margotte Moschetti was quite a surprise. She had achieved her best result so far as a junior, finishing second at the European Championships in Moscow. However, in her first year as a U23 rider, she was out of luck: Due to a cruciate ligament rupture she was sidelined during most of the season in 2013. Therefore she was all the more happy to gain third place in Solothurn.

Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nino Schurter (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team1:32:24
2Florian Vogel (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team0:00:26
3Lukas Flückiger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:28
4Julien Absalon (Fra) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:29
5Mathias Flückiger (Swi) Stockli Pro Team0:00:31
6Moritz Milatz (Ger) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:56
7Martin Fanger (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:59
8Christoph Sauser (Swi) Specialized Factory Racing0:01:02
9Ralph Näf (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:02:29
10Reto Indergand (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:03:15
11Martin Gujan (Swi) Orange Monkey Pro Team0:04:29
12Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team0:04:36
13Pascal Meyer (Swi) Bergamont Swiss Team0:05:12
14Emilien Barben (Swi) Zimmermann-BMC-Mathieu SA0:05:39
15Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) goldwurst-power/ Stockli0:05:46
16Daniel Eymann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team0:06:16
17Jonas Baumann (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team0:06:18
18Fabian Paumann (Swi) BigFriends Racing Team0:06:21
19Severin Sägesser (Swi) Schmid Velosport/ RC Gränichen0:06:49
20Giancarlo Sax (Swi) BigFriends Racing Team0:06:56
21Lukas Winterberg (Swi) Walter Meier Orbea Factory Team0:07:31
22Andreas Moser (Swi) zaunteam mittelland0:08:19
23Matthias Allenspach (Swi) Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach0:08:38
24Patrik Gallati (Swi) Fischli Bike Team0:09:45
25Bryan Allemann (Swi) Team Zimmermann BMC Mathieu0:09:51
26Philipp Hediger (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:09:55
27Cameron Ivory (Aus) DiscoverTasmania.com0:09:57
28Romain Bannwart (Swi) PROF Raiffeisen CCL0:10:26
29Nick Albrecht (Swi) dapp-putzi-team.ch0:11:00
30Sandro Soncin (Swi) BH-Bikes/Hartmann0:11:08
31Sylvain Engelmann (Swi) PROF Raiffeisen CCL0:11:43
32Patrick Lüthi (Swi) PROF Raiffeisen CCL0:11:56
33Valentin Berset (Swi)0:12:00
34Sebastian Ostertag (Swi) velo-reichmuth.ch/VC Wàdenswil0:12:27
35Silvio Büsser (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team0:12:51
36Claude Koster (Swi) Bergamont Swiss Team0:13:40
37Stefan Peter (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team0:13:45
38Roger Jenny (Swi) Cycling Project Bike4Fun0:14:15
39Ulisse Fieschi (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:14:54
-2lapsFlorian Thie (Swi) Bergamont Swiss TeamRow 39 - Cell 2
-2lapsMarcel Guerrini (Swi) Focus XC TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
-2lapsAlexandre Savoye (Fra) Annecy CCRow 41 - Cell 2
-2lapsRémy Bourdon (Fra) Annecy cyclisme compétitionRow 42 - Cell 2
DNFAndri Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
DNFFlorian Chenaux (Swi) Zimmermann-BMC-Mathieu SARow 44 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Hutter (Swi) Signer Merida RVARow 45 - Cell 2
DNFLucien Besançon (Swi) Wheeler – iXS TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
DNFPaul Remy (Fra) VTT Fun ClubRow 47 - Cell 2
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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Esther Süss (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team1:35:13
2Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Südtirol MTB Team0:00:39
3Margot Moschetti (Fra) Scott la clusaz0:00:42
4Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) Sabine Spitz HAIBIKE Pro Team0:01:28
5Corina Gantenbein (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:02:25
6Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) Team RECM0:02:38
7Andrea Waldis (Swi) Colnago Südtirol MTB Team0:04:01
8Hielke Elferink (Ned) Wheeler-iXS-Team0:04:25
9Nathalie Schneitter (Swi) Colnago Südtirol MTB Team0:04:54
10Michelle Hediger (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:04:57
11Fanny Bourdon (Fra) Team Look Beaumes de Venise0:06:32
12Marine Groccia (Swi) Team Alouettes.ch / CCM0:08:20
13Florence Darbellay (Swi) Club Cycliste du Littoral0:08:30
14Sarah Koba (Swi) ASSOS Werksmannschaft0:08:38
15Marta Pastore (Ita) Team Frm Factory Racing0:08:41
16Céline Farner (Swi) Bike Team Mellingen0:09:15
17Kerry Macphee (GBr) Rock and Road Cycles0:10:00
18Serena Tasca (Ita) A.S.D. Garda Sport0:10:04
19Janina Wüst (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team0:11:22
20Romaine Wenger (Swi) Thömus Racing Team0:12:17
21Jennifer Kupferschmied (Swi) Wheeler – iXS Team0:13:18
22Alexandra Serrano (Ecu) Ecuador-TREK0:13:49
23Franziska Brun (Swi) Strüby-Bixs Team0:14:37
24Stéphanie Métill (Swi) Team Giant Neuchâtel0:14:42
25Alessia Bulleri (Ita) Gruppo Sportivo Forestale0:14:56
26Katja Montani (Swi) Greenhillbikers0:15:09
27Chantal Eheim (Swi) jb Felt Team0:18:01
-1lapEliane Müggler (Swi) bischibikes / kopierpapier.ch / RV AltenrheinRow 27 - Cell 2
-1lapAlessia Nay (Swi) Bike Planet Ems / Felt, RMV-ChurRow 28 - Cell 2
-1lapSabrina Baumgartner (Swi) Strüby-BiXS TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
-2lapsMallory Barth (Swi) jb Felt TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
DNFElisabeth Sveum (Nor) Raufoss & Gjøvik SKRow 31 - Cell 2
DNFJenny Rissveds (Swe) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
DNFChrystelle Baumann (Swi) Prof Raiffeisen CCLRow 33 - Cell 2
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Junior men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Dario Thoma (Swi) bskGraf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team1:12:10
2Filippo Colombo (Swi) Velo Club Monte Tamaro - BMC0:00:19
3Noah Blöchlinger (Swi) bischibikes / kopierpapier.ch0:00:19
4Jeremias Bürgin (Swi) 4cycle / Velo + Sport Rast0:01:02
5Mike Hermann (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team0:01:52
6Arnaud Hertling (Swi) Team VTT BMC Fribourg0:02:08
7Sandro Trevisani (Swi) Dom Cycle Merida0:02:13
8Tobias Neuhaus (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:02:15
9Oscar Vairetti (Ita) Velo Club Monte Tamaro - BMC0:02:17
10Casey South (Swi) Team Greenhope - biking against cancer0:02:55
11Ramon Lauener (Swi) jb Felt Team0:03:11
12Manuel Zobrist (Swi) Fischer - BMC0:03:45
13Lars Reiniger (Ger) SG Rheinfelden0:04:13
14Joël Grab (Swi) GRAB Offroad Cycling Team0:04:16
15Alexandre Dick (Swi) VTT Balcon du Jura0:04:20
16Jan Eichenberger (Swi) Team Greenhope - biking against cancer0:04:20
17Lionel Fasel (Swi) VC Echallens0:04:21
18Rocco Ferretti (Swi) Velo Club Monte Tamaro - BMC0:04:21
19Jean Villermaulaz (Swi) VTT BMC FribourgRow 18 - Cell 2
20Luca Langenegger (Swi) Danis Bike Team RMC Appenzell0:04:23
21Raphael Krähemann (Swi) Team Gadola Wetzikon0:04:24
22Adrian Bernet (Swi) RMV Cham-Hagendorn0:04:29
23Robin Gemperle (Swi) Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team0:05:20
24Léo L'homme (Swi) Team VTT BMC Fribourg0:05:34
25Benjamin Inauen (Swi) Pink Gili Swiss Racing Team0:05:40
26Noah Troxler (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:06:00
27Claudio Söldi (Swi) bsk Graf Rollmat MTB Team / RV Altenrhein0:06:08
28Rémy Dénervaud (Swi) Team VTT BMC Fribourg0:06:42
29Timon Rüegg (Swi) Walter Meier Orbea Factory Team0:07:03
30Remo Müggler (Swi) bischibikes / kopierpapier.ch / RV Altenrhein0:07:04
31Patrick Zumstein (Swi) Tower Sports VC Eschenbach0:07:47
32Caryl Simonet (Swi) Team Giant Neuchâtel / Zeta Cycling Club0:08:20
33Lukas Kornberger (Ger) VBC Waldshut-Tiengen0:08:31
34Fabian Bonderer (Swi) Cycling Project Bike4Fun / VBC Landquart0:08:40
35Cedric Gauch (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:08:51
36Zachary Ducret (Swi) Vélo club Payerne Pro cycles0:09:01
37Romain Bard (Swi) Team VTT BMC Fribourg0:09:05
38Remo Franco Schori (Swi) Ski+Velo-CenterRacingTeam/BC Spiez0:09:29
39Julien Mossier (Swi) Velo Club Monte Tamaro - BMC0:09:46
40Valentin Kiser (Swi) jb Felt Team0:10:43
41Michael Habegger (Swi) Alouettes.ch / C.C.Moutier0:10:43
42Henry Reiniger (Ger) SG Rheinfelden0:11:03
43Patrick Käss (Swi) dapp-putz-team0:11:39
44Lars Stillhart (Swi) K-Bike/Koba0:11:43
45Nick Andrey (Swi) BSO0:11:53
46Lukas Düring (Swi) Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach0:12:57
47Stephan Hediger (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:14:04
48Marc Dürr (Ger) Bike Team Oberallgäu0:14:36
49Daniele Palà (Swi) Velo Club Monte Tamaro - BMC0:14:56
50Joël Monney (Swi) Stockli / BSO0:16:18
51Nico Keller (Swi) RV Arbon0:17:04
52Timo Läderach (Swi) Sputnik Bikeshop Zweisimmen / RV Ersigen0:18:17
53Loïc Blanc (Swi) GIANT-Jurassic’bikes-Co Factory0:19:12
-1lapLoris Volkart (Swi) Chälbli Bike Team / VC MeilenRow 53 - Cell 2
-1lapRenato Bucher (Swi) Merida-Biketeam12 / VMC BürglenRow 54 - Cell 2
-1lapRoger Aeberli (Swi) velo-reichmuth / RRC AmtRow 55 - Cell 2
-1lapYanick Ben Achour (Swi) VC EchallensRow 56 - Cell 2
-1lapKim Gull (Swi) Merida Riders Club/ VC VolketswilRow 57 - Cell 2
DNFSven Olivetti (Swi) Focus X-Bionic TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Scyboz (Swi) Team VTT BMC FribourgRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFGilles Guisolan (Swi) Walter Meier Orbea Factory TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFRobin Juillerat (Swi) Prof Raiffeisen CCLRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFCla Riet Derungs (Swi) Raiffeisen Bikeshop Studer RaceteamRow 62 - Cell 2
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Junior women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nicole Koller (Swi) Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach1:02:17
2Alessandra Keller (Swi) Strüby-Bixs Team0:02:27
3Sina Frei (Swi) jb Felt Team0:03:07
4Aline Seitz (Swi) Specialized Racing0:04:48
5Pierina Beeli (Swi) bskGraf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team0:08:10
6Sonja Guerrini (Swi) Strüby-Bixs Team0:08:55
7Michelle Andres (Swi) jb Felt Team0:09:15
8Rebecca Rudolf Von Rohr (Swi) Tropical Solothurn0:10:19
9Miriam Oeschger (Ger) RSV Niederhof0:10:40
10Joana Schönthal (Swi) Velo-Shop Vonäsch Zollikon/ VC Meilen0:11:30
11Giuliana Loher (Swi) Pink Gili / VCA0:11:32
12Lara Brun (Swi) Ski+Velo-CenterRacingTeam/BC Spiez0:12:54
13Malika Sansonnens (Swi) Zeta cycling Club0:16:03
14Zina Barhoumi (Swi) RSC Aaretal Münsingen0:17:52
-1lapFlurina Glaus (Swi) Thömus Racing TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
DNFPauline Clerc (Swi) VC Vignoble CyclercRow 15 - Cell 2
DNFJoanna Villermaualz (Swi) Pédale bulloiseRow 16 - Cell 2
DNFClivia Gobat (Swi) Zimmermann-BMC-Mathieu SARow 17 - Cell 2
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Amateurs & Masters
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jürg Graf (Swi) bskGraf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team1:09:53
2Andrin Beeli (Swi) bskGraf-Rollmat-Koba MTB Team0:00:53
3Joel Koller (Swi) Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach0:01:30
4Simon Vitzthum (Swi) bischibikes/kopierpapier.ch / RV Altenrhein0:01:35
5Manuel Fasnacht (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:03:19
6Manuel Boog (Swi) Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach0:03:21
7Nicolas Fischer (Swi) jb Felt Team0:03:29
8Lukas Bucher (Swi) Tropical Solothurn0:03:30
9Adrian Muri (Swi) vc sursee-creabeton0:03:32
10Michael Wicki (Swi) Pink Gili Swiss Racingteam0:03:47
11Thomas Schmid (Swi) bskGraf-Rollmat MTB Team0:03:56
12Andreas Zünd (Swi) Pink Gili Swiss Racing Team0:04:01
13Lars Hubacher (Swi) Giant-Swiss-Team0:04:32
14Florian Meyer (Swi) Stockli Heimberg0:04:32
15Jan Gafner (Swi) Prof Raiffeisen CCL0:04:32
16Dominic Grab (Swi) GRAB Offroad Cycling Team0:04:47
17Roli Mischler (Swi) Team Fischli Bike0:05:45
18David Gysling (Swi) Team Alouettes.ch / Greenhillbikers0:06:05
19Jeremias Marti (Swi) Strüby-Bixs Team0:06:10
20Sandro Kessler (Swi) Cycling Project Bike4Fun0:06:19
21Mathias Alig (Swi) BiXS - iXS Team0:06:23
22Bruno Silva (Por) biketeam.gr0:06:29
23Fabian Langenegger (Swi) Danis Bike Team RMC Appenzell0:06:30
24Ueli Schädler (Swi) Focus X-Bionic Team0:06:42
25Fabian Strittmatter (Swi) BH-Bikes/Hartmann0:06:50
26Severin Nowak (Swi) Bergamont Swiss Team0:06:55
27Uli Brucker (Ger) Wheeler-iXS-Team0:06:58
28Anthony Rappo (Swi) VC Vignoble CYCLERC0:07:08
29Tristan Blanchard (Swi) Zimmermann-BMC-Mathieu SA0:07:13
30Egger Sebastian (Swi) Walter Meier Orbea Factory Team0:07:47
31Sammy Leumann (Swi) VC Maur0:08:38
32Nico Tambarikas (Swi) K-Bike/Koba0:08:43
33Jan Schär (Swi) Thömus Racing Team0:09:03
34Pascal Nay (Swi) Thömus Racing Team / RMV-Chur0:10:35
35Joaquim Carmo (Por) Veloradoracingteam0:10:38
36Silvan Kälin (Swi) Strüby-Bixs Team0:10:43
37Sven Bethke (Swi) Promition-Tools0:10:50
38Thierry Barras (Swi) Dom Cycle / VC Lausanne0:12:19
39Sandro Schober (Swi) Team Signer RV Altenrhein0:13:09
40Cédric L'eplattenier (Swi) VTT Balcon du Jura0:13:20
41Stefan Vögeli (Swi) Thömus Racing Team/Bike Club Spiez0:14:03
42Fabio Franz (Swi) Fischer Junior MTB Team0:14:19
43Fabian Bucher (Swi) Merida-Biketeam12 / VMC Bürglen0:14:40
44Luca Nardin (Swi) Leistungszentrum Solothurn/Mauna Loa Bikers Solothurn0:16:41
-1lapJonas Magne (Swi) Vélo Club Payerne - PRO CyclesRow 44 - Cell 2
-1lapDany Hirs (Swi) Feltbicycles.comRow 45 - Cell 2
-1lapNils Hättenschwiler (Swi) VTT Balcon du JuraRow 46 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Corti (Swi) team dom cycle meridaRow 47 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Gadomski (Swi) Team Giant Neuchâtel / VCCMMRow 48 - Cell 2
DNFRaphael Koch (Swi) Fischer - BMCRow 49 - Cell 2
DNFMarcel Bartholet (Swi) Wheeler - iXS TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
DNFYves Albrecht (Swi) dapp-putzi-team.chRow 51 - Cell 2

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