Schurter and Süss win BMC Cup opener

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Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) and Esther Süss (Wheeler-IXS Team) won the opening round of the Swiss BMC Cup in Schaan on Sunday.

In the men's race, reigning world champion Schurter and Manuel Fumic (Cannondale) dominated from the start on the demanding circuit in Liechtenstein. The two took turns in the lead and quickly got a comfortable lead over their pursuers.

"On the last lap, I attacked on the hill and dropped Fumic. In the downhills, I risked nothing," said Schurter. "This win gives me a lot of confidence for the challenges ahead."

Fumic finished just two seconds behind Schurter. Martin Fanger (BMC Racing Team) followed in third place while Thomas Litscher (Multivan Merida) was fourth. Litscher found himself in the chase group with Fanger and another BMC rider Moritz Milatz, who was fifth, while still another BMC rider Matthias Stirnemann finished next in sixth.

In the women's race former European champion Katrin Leumann (Ghost Factory) took the initial lead. However, fellow Swiss rider Süss worked her way back up to Leumann and went on to win.

"I made my advantage clear on the descents. My coach today would have been proud of my downhill skills," said the 38-year-old Süss, who recently had to pull out of the Cape Epic race due to the stomach flu.

German Adelheid Morath (Haibike Pro Team) raced to second while Leumann crossed the line in third.

German Sofia Wiedenroth (Fiat deer) secured the junior women's victory while Simon Vitzthum (bischibikes / kopierpapier.ch) topped the junior men's standings.

The race was held in cool (five degrees Celsius) but dry conditions.

Full Results