Schurter wins Racer Bikes Cup second round

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Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) and Elisabeth Osl (Ghost Factory Racing Team) won round two of the Swiss Racer Bikes Cup in Lugano/Tesserete. A total of 825 participants raced in sunny Ticino.

In the men's race, a four-way battle was expected between Olympic champion Julien Absalon (Orbea), Schurter, Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) and German champion Milatz Moritz (BMC Mountain Bike Racing).

However, Absalon suffered a flat on the first downhill and after two laps was in 39th, four minutes down from the leaders. He launched a worthy effort to catch up and moved up to 12th by the end of the race.

At the front, the trio of Schurter, Vogel and Milatz were together until the final lap.

"On the second ascent, Nino attacked. He was the strongest of the three of us and rode away," Moritz said.

Schurter's win gave him a confidence boost heading into the first World Cup in two weeks in South Africa.

Top under 23 racer Matthias Stirnemann (Thömus Racing Team) was eighth.

Elisabeth Osl controlled the elite women's race from the start and went on to celebrate victory. Tereza Hurikova (Central Haibike ProTeam) was second ahead of Katrin Leumann (Ghost Factory Racing Team)

"I'm very satisfied with my race. My pollen allergy somehow disappeared," said Leumann.

Olympic champion Sabine Spitz (Central Haibike ProTeam) was fourth, and Kathrin Stirnemann (Central Haibike ProTeam) was the best Under 23 woman.

Thibault Geneste (Lapierre International) and Linda Indergand (MTB Kader Zentralschweiz/IG RS Uri) won the junior men's and women's races while Roger Walder (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) topped the Amateur & Masters' category.

Full Results