Vogel and Leumann win cross country championships
By Sue George , Mountain Bike Editor published
Swiss champions crowned in Chur
Florian Vogel (Scott Swisspower) won the Swiss cross country championship this weekend. Vogel succesfully defended his title in Chur.
Four favorites competed for three places on the podium. World Champion Christoph Sauser (Specialized Factory Racing) found a track with a long climb and rough descent that suited his skills. Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) lives only meters away from the start/finish and wanted to put on a good show in front of the home crowd. With his good World Cup results thus far in 2009, Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida) was the man to beat, but of course, Vogel wanted to keep the national title.
Lukas Flückiger (23 Degrees/ Trek) and Martin Gujan (Cannondale) were also in the medal hunt.
The pace was tremendously high from the beginning. Soon it became clear that Sauser and Schurter would not be able to contend for the title. Schurter has been fighting bronchitis for two weeks. He's back to good health, but still struggled breathing.
One third of the way into the race, Gujan and Vogel put a gap on Flückiger and Näf. At the half-way point, Vogel looked confident and tried for a solo attack. At first, his gap back to Gujan held at 20 seconds. On the last three laps, nothing held the reigning champion back, and he won by nearly two minutes. This win was welcome after he struggled on the World Cup scene this spring.
Gujan earned a silver, and Flückiger completed the podium. The other favorites Näf (fourth), Sauser (fifth) and Schurter (sixth) had to go home without medals.
Vogel will head next to Zoetermeer, Holland, to defend his European Championship title.
Katrin Leumann (goldwurst-power / Sputnik) won the women's race in 1:35:50. Esther Süss (Wheeler-IXS Pro Team) followed just eight seconds behind, and Petra Henzi (Fischer-BMC) was third at 1:53.
1 | Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | 1:40:34 |
2 | Martin Gujan (Cannondale Factory Racing) | 0:01:53 |
3 | Lukas Flückiger (23 deegres/Trek) | 0:02:05 |
4 | Christoph Sauser (Specialized) | 0:02:21 |
5 | Ralph Näf (Multivan Merida Biking Team) | 0:05:01 |
6 | Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | 0:06:52 |
7 | Nicola Rohrbach (central GHOST Pro Team) | 0:07:34 |
8 | Christof Bischof (ISD Sportsclub) | 0:09:35 |
9 | Balz Weber (DS-Rennsport) | 0:10:41 |
10 | Joris Boillat (Frenetic-Bernasconi) | 0:12:03 |
11 | Patrick Tresch (GU Plus/Thomyk/VMC Silenen) | 0:13:03 |
-1lap | Ueli Schädler (Energie MTB Team) | |
-1lap | Markus Bless (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | |
-1lap | Silvio Bundi (Giant-Swiss-Team) | |
-1lap | Jonas Baumann (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | |
-1lap | Manuel Scheidegger (Velobern Racing Team) | |
-1lap | Silvio Büsser (BiXS - iXS Swiss Team) | |
-1lap | Ivan Planzer (Giant-Swiss-Team) | |
-1lap | Michael Hutter (Pink Gili Swiss) | |
-1lap | Lucien Peterhans (Velo Franz/Univega) | |
-1lap | Florian Meyer (MTB Cycletech Racing Team) | |
-1lap | Tobias Hollenstein (Bike Team Ramsauer-Micarna) | |
-1lap | Joel Graf (Fehr Velos Erlen) | |
-1lap | Klemens Bont (Gaetzi.com/RMC Gossau) | |
DNF | Marcel Wildhaber (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | |
DNF | Rudolf Biedermann (Team Mahu) | |
DNF | Alexandre Moos (BMC) |
1 | Katrin Leumann (goldwurst-power / Sputnik) | 1:35:50 |
2 | Esther Süss (Wheeler-IXS Pro Team) | 0:00:08 |
3 | Petra Henzi (Fischer-BMC) | 0:01:53 |
4 | Marielle Saner-Guinchard (BikePark.ch) | 0:03:44 |
5 | Nathalie Schneitter (Colnago Cap Arreghini) | 0:04:44 |
6 | Fabienne Heinzmann (BikePark.ch) | 0:08:18 |
7 | Sarah Koba (Giant-Swiss-Team) | 0:10:03 |
8 | Lilian Huwyler (Bike Team Ramsauer-Micarna) | 0:12:25 |
9 | Corina Gantenbein (ewz.biketeam.gr) | 0:14:45 |
-1lap | Catherine Lohri (Free Mountain/Koba) | |
-1lap | Silvia Mölk (Bike4Fun) | |
DNF | Fabienne Niederberger (X.O.-Felt) |
1 | Matthias Stirnemann (Merida Suisse Team) | 1:25:08 |
2 | Reto Indergand (TG Zentralschweiz/IG RS-Uri) | 0:00:44 |
3 | Roger Walder (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | 0:02:50 |
4 | Patrick Lüthi (Prof - Raiffeisen) | 0:04:20 |
5 | Fabian Paumann (Merida Suisse Team) | 0:04:23 |
6 | Emilien Barben (Zeta Cycling Club) | 0:04:37 |
7 | Michael Stünzi (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | 0:04:49 |
8 | Marc Stutzmann (MTB Cycletech Racing Team) | 0:05:28 |
9 | Stefan Peter (TG Zentralschweiz) | 0:05:29 |
10 | Janos Ruch (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | 0:07:03 |
11 | Martin Strebel (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | 0:07:43 |
12 | Claude Koster (MTB Cycletech Racing Team) | 0:07:45 |
13 | Kevin Krieg (RRC Diessenhofen) | 0:08:20 |
14 | Lukas Loretz (Giant-Swiss-Team) | 0:09:09 |
15 | Fabian Obrist (Stevens) | 0:09:43 |
16 | Rick Reimann (PBR-Matic Swiss Team) | 0:10:00 |
17 | Anthony Grand (DOM Cycle / VC Rennaz) | 0:10:01 |
18 | Florian Kaufmann (Hobi-Bau/MF.Hügler Wetzikon) | 0:11:42 |
19 | Johannes Gujan (VC Surselva) | 0:11:59 |
20 | Severin Sägesser (Thömus Racing Team) | 0:13:24 |
21 | Lukas Wick (Yeti Ullmann/RRC Diessenhoffen) | 0:13:31 |
22 | Mike Schuler (TG Zentralschweiz) | 0:14:08 |
23 | Ralph Federer (Bike Team Ramsauer-Micarna) | 0:14:42 |
-1lap | Simon Faust (Hobi-Bau/MF.Hügler Wetzikon) | |
-1lap | Rafael Haubensak (Sherpa Tensing Pedalerie) | |
-1lap | Marco Wildhaber (Suso Bike Walenstadt) | |
-1lap | Marc Flury (Thömus Racing Team) | |
-1lap | Tobias Fedier (VC Horgen) | |
-1lap | Samuel Bieri (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | |
-1lap | Marc Hermann (ewz.biketeam.gr) | |
-1lap | Robin Böhi (Velothek-Baloise) | |
-1lap | Pascal Stettler (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | |
-1lap | Remo Bislin (Bike 4 Fun) | |
-1lap | Christoph Fässler (thomyk / VC Gersau) | |
-1lap | Daniel Humm (VC Wädenswil/Radnroll Bike Team) | |
-1lap | Nico Tambarikas (RT-Bike/RV Buchs) | |
-1lap | Fabian Aschwanden (VMC Silenen/IG Radsport Uri) | |
-2laps | Benedikt (Lie) Mündle (Merida Liechtenstein) | |
-2laps | Daniel Hagmann (Koba.ch) | |
-6laps | Ronny Koller (RSS Rheintal) | |
DNF | Marc Schärli (RC Gränichen) | |
DNF | Basil Fanti (RRZ Goldwurst.ch Nordwest) | |
DNF | Maxime Schmid (BikePark.ch) |
1 | Michelle Hediger (Fischer-BMC) | 1:16:00 |
2 | Vania Schumacher (Top Cycle) | 0:01:33 |
3 | Nicole Hanselmann (bike-import.ch/RV Wetzikon) | 0:02:10 |
4 | Tanja Starkermann (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | 0:07:46 |
5 | Céline Ernst (Stöckli Racing Team) | 0:10:34 |
6 | Aurelia Sonderegger (PBR-Matic Swiss MTB Team) | 0:10:41 |
7 | Seraina Gasser (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | 0:14:28 |
8 | Carmen Gehriger (Team-Brander.ch) | 0:15:40 |
1 | Fabian Giger (SKS M.I.G. Team) | 1:30:58 |
2 | Sepp Freiburghaus (Thömus Racing Team) | 0:02:00 |
3 | Pascal Meyer (SKS M.I.G. Team) | 0:02:33 |
4 | Thomas Litscher (SKS M.I.G. Team) | 0:03:50 |
5 | Martin Fanger (Giant-Swiss-Team) | 0:04:03 |
6 | Jeremy Huguenin (Giant-Swiss-Team) | 0:05:05 |
7 | Severin Disch (Giant-Swiss-Team) | 0:05:48 |
8 | Lukas Kaufmann (Rothaus-Cube MTB Team) | 0:06:09 |
9 | Patrik Gallati (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | 0:06:44 |
10 | Marco Arnold (Gisler-Craft) | 0:09:50 |
11 | Daniel Eymann (Thömus Racing Team) | 0:11:28 |
12 | Konny Looser (BiXS - iXS Swiss Team) | 0:12:27 |
-1lap | Simon Weber (Merida Suisse Team) | |
-1lap | Benjamin Büchi (Scott RV Winterthur) | |
-1lap | Giancarlo Sax (Thömus Racing Team) | |
-1lap | Philipp Gerber (Thömus Racing Team) | |
-1lap | Valentin Scherz (Pro Cycles - Scott - Newwork) | |
-1lap | Arian Berger (Schötz go-in.ch) | |
-1lap | Matthias Allenspach (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | |
-1lap | Christian Bickel (Total Sport/Steda) | |
-1lap | Lucien Besancon (Velocenter Wangen a.A.) | |
-1lap | Daniel Kaufmann (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | |
-1lap | Benoit Beaud (BikePark.ch) | |
-1lap | Michael Wildhaber (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | |
-1lap | Sandro Hediger (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | |
-1lap | Jeremias Marti (TG-Zentralschweiz.ch) | |
-1lap | Marc Metzler (Pink Gili Swiss) | |
-1lap | Patrick Hediger (RV Merishausen/Russenberger) | |
-1lap | Oliver Windler (Ullmann Yeti) | |
2laps | Benjamin Walker (VMC Erstfeld/IG RS Uri) | |
2laps | Luca Formoso (Cycle Shop/RV Winterthur) | |
DNF | Matthias Rupp (Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing) | |
DNF | Mirco Widmer (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | |
DNF | Sandro Kessler (ewz.biketeam.gr) | |
DNF | Mathias Flückiger (23 deegres/Trek) | |
DNF | Arnaud Grand (Thömus Racing Team) | |
DNF | Mirco Zürcher (BSK Graf/VC Volketswil) | |
DNF | David Bieri (Krapf Bike Wave) | |
DNF | Jörg Egli (Wheeler-IXS Swiss Team) | |
DNF | Manuel Ritter (MTB Cycletech Racing Team) | |
DNF | Dumeni Vincenz (Thömus Racing Team) | |
DNF | Florian Thie (MTB Cycletech Racing Team) | |
DNF | Pascal Schmutz (Corratec World Team) |
1 | Vivienne Meyer (Colnago Cap Arreghini) | 1:27:47 |
2 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Merida Suisse Team) | 0:02:18 |
3 | Virginie Pointet (BikePark.ch) | 0:03:24 |
4 | Joelle Schmutz (Corratec Worl Team) | 0:05:44 |
5 | Marina Giger (Tower Sports-VC Eschenbach) | 0:06:43 |
6 | Jennifer Sägesser (Thömus Racing Team) | 0:11:05 |
7 | Deborah Spescha (ewz.biketeam.gr) | 0:11:08 |
8 | Karin Rappo (Mahu) | 0:15:49 |
-1lap | Céline Farner (Velo Franz/Univega) | |
-1lap | Andrea Wilhelm (Stevens Tröhler/VC Hittnau) | |
-1lap | Daniela Stünzi (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | |
DNF | Lorraine Truong (Prof Flühlmann / CCL) |
1 | René Wildhaber (Schwinn OBG) | 1:30:03 |
2 | David Baumann (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | 0:00:51 |
3 | Roland Häfeli (Fischer-BMC) | 0:01:51 |
4 | Beat Morf (Chälbli Bikes & Service) | 0:02:33 |
5 | Stefan Huber (Alptours/Pneu Egger) | 0:03:05 |
6 | Marcel Knecht (CSI Group MTB Team) | 0:04:30 |
7 | Daniel Huber (ewz.biketeam.gr) | 0:05:09 |
8 | Roger Dittli (Stöckli-Craft) | 0:06:47 |
9 | Andreas Bruder (Bike4Fun) | 0:06:48 |
10 | Marco Hinrichs (Stöckli) | 0:08:06 |
11 | Claudius Thommen (Merida Suisse Team) | 0:11:39 |
12 | Lee Mazzoleni (VC Industrie Zürich) | 0:11:47 |
-3laps | 50083 N.N. | |
-5laps | Alain Bischofberger (veloschöpfli.ch) | |
-5laps | Martin Steiert (Kraftstoff Bike-Werkstatt) |
1 | Tobias Spescha (VC Surselva) | 0:51:09 |
2 | Andri Frischknecht (VC Eschenbach Hakle) | 0:00:12 |
3 | Erik Jonsson (Corratec World Team) | 0:00:33 |
4 | Lars Forster (VC Eschenbach Hakle) | 0:00:45 |
5 | Florian Chenaux (VC Fribourg/Cycles Pache) | 0:01:53 |
6 | Valentin Berset (Procycle/Scott/New York) | 0:02:14 |
7 | Jan Gafner (Ski-Velo-Center.ch) | 0:02:14 |
8 | Dominik Risi (TG Zentralschweiz) | 0:02:50 |
9 | Philipp Hediger (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | 0:03:01 |
10 | Marcel Guerrini (Energie MTB Team) | 0:03:19 |
11 | Isak Jonsson (Corratec World Team) | 0:03:24 |
12 | Roger Jenny (Bike 4 Fun) | 0:03:35 |
13 | Jonas Loretz (Tropical Solothurn) | 0:03:43 |
14 | Silvan Kälin (TG-Zentralschweiz/RV Einsiedeln) | 0:04:12 |
15 | Dominic Zumstein (VC Eschenbach Hakle) | 0:04:29 |
16 | Nick Albrecht (bikebrothers.ch/RV Winterthur) | 0:04:43 |
17 | Manuel Boog (Hobi-Bau) | 0:05:16 |
18 | Dylan Page (Dom Cycle / VC Rennaz) | 0:05:18 |
19 | Nicola Conrad (Fischer Junior MTB Team) | 0:06:22 |
20 | Rico Von Burg (Tropical Solothurn) | 0:06:27 |
21 | Maurus Dürr (Koba.ch) | 0:06:56 |
22 | Ciril Spescha (VC Surselva) | 0:08:11 |
23 | Joel Haubensak (Sherpa Tensing Pedalerie) | 0:08:13 |
24 | Kilian Motzer (RV Altenrhein) | 0:08:14 |
25 | Roman Gisler (TG Zentralschweiz /IG RS Uri) | 0:08:58 |
26 | Gabriel Senn (Hobi-Bau/MF.Hügler Wetzikon) | 0:09:21 |
27 | Patrik Koller | 0:09:28 |
28 | Joel Koller (VC Eschenbach Hakle) | 0:10:04 |
29 | Ismael Müller (Felt Cycles Centre) | 0:10:21 |
30 | Fabian Kiser (TG Zentralschweiz) | 0:10:29 |
31 | Pascal Dieterich (Hobi-Bau/MF.Hügler Wetzikon) | 0:11:19 |
32 | Fabian Bucher (Merida Rookies Team) | 0:11:26 |
33 | Kilian Oertli (Radteam Degersheim) | 0:11:28 |
34 | Samuel Schwendener (Koba.ch) | 0:11:43 |
35 | Silvan Gisler (VMC Silenen/IG Radsport Uri) | 0:12:47 |
36 | Thomas Eymann (Thömus Factory Team) | 0:13:43 |
37 | Kilian Badrutt | 0:14:46 |
38 | Albin Gehriger | 0:15:07 |
-1lap | Nicolas Allenspach (Koba.ch) | |
-2laps | Florian Suter (Fischer Junior MTB Team) |
1 | Andrea Waldis (thomyk/VC Gersau/TG Zentral) | 0:56:55 |
2 | Linda Indergand (TG Zentralschweiz/IG RS-Uri) | 0:02:25 |
3 | Jolanda Neff (RV Altenrhein) | 0:03:37 |
4 | Eliane Müggler (RV Altenrhein) | 0:09:34 |
5 | Julia Vontobel (RV Wetzikon) | 0:09:42 |
6 | Fabienne Andres (Cannondale Küttel) | 0:10:47 |
7 | Deborah Inauen (Danis Bike/RMC Appenzell) | 0:11:54 |
8 | Jil Saxer (MTB Racing Team Hägglingen) | 0:11:54 |
9 | Ramona * Forchini (Velothek-Baloise) | 0:13:31 |
10 | Laura Fedier (VC Horgen) | 0:14:09 |
11 | Michelle Vollenweider (Haibike-Swiss IT Repair MTB) | 0:20:24 |
-1lap | Larissa Zimmermann (RBT Glarnerland Oel Hauser) | |
-3laps | Janine Hanselmann (Hobi-Bau/MF.Hügler Wetzikon) |

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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
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