The deep mud posed a particularly big challenge for riders at the end of the season and also tested their technical and running skills. Even the superior winner Alessandra Keller (26, Thömus Maxon), who has consistently performed at a high level this season, was visibly challenged: "The course was special, the mud was like pudding on top. I haven't experienced anything like this all season, even though I've ridden a lot of rain races." After a successful year with XCC and XCO overall World Cup victories, the rider from central Switzerland is now heading into a well-deserved winter break.

Noëlle Buri provided a spectacle

The justified hopes of Seraina Leugger (Goldwurst Power/ARC8), who had led the overall standings until the race in Saanenland, were dashed in the mud. The courageous Noëlle Buri (BIXS Performance Race Team) had also fought an exciting battle for position with Alessandra Keller along the way.

Buri was then overtaken by Anne Tauber - and fought her way back with a par force performance. With a spectacular final sprint and just 0.2 seconds ahead of Anne Tauber, the Emmental rider took overall victory in the Proffix Swiss Bike Cup.

In the men's race, Andri Frischknecht (3rd) had to bury his chance of victory and thus winning the overall standings in the Proffix Swiss Bike Cup for the second time in a row on the very first lap. The overall leader Vital Albin - like Alessandra Keller from Team Thömus Maxon - rode a tactically clever race in the deep mud, in which all the riders had their problems. The Grisons rider, who alternated with Marcel Guerrini (2nd) in the lead for a long time, pulled away on the fourth lap and also secured the overall classification with a commanding victory on the day.

Vital Albin is the only rider this season with two or three victories in the Proffix Swiss Bike Cup (Savognin, Gränichen and Gstaad, second in Lugano) - and therefore a truly deserving winner. "I felt good right from the start. I knew that Andri would attack at the start because I always have to find my way into the race first. I'm proud of the victory and the win in the overall standings. But now I'm looking forward to the break in the season," said Vital Albin at the finish line at the airfield in Saanen.

Christen and Halter - promises for the future

The winners in the junior categories are great hopes for the future. The exceptional multi-talent Jan Christen wins the overall ranking in the juniors. The 18-year-old Christen from Gippingen also dominates the other junior categories in Switzerland - he is two-time champion in cyclo-cross, on the track, on the mountain bike and in the time trial. He was also the 2022 cyclo-cross world champion, European road champion and world bike runner-up. In the junior category, U19 world champion Monique Halter from Herisau won the overall standings on the day. Like Jan Christen, she is also a great promise for the future.