Courtney and Guerrini win the Proffix Cup in Basel
Marcel Guerrini wrote the history of the PROFFIX Swiss Bike Cup race at the 26th Bikefestival in Basel in impressive style! The rider from the newly founded BIXS Performance Race Team broke away from the leading group before the last lap, which also included Swiss riders Lars Forster, Reto Indergand, Luca Schätti, Fabio Püntener and Simon Vitzthum as well as New Zealander Anton Cooper (3rd) and Frenchman Mathis Azzaro. Lars Forster (29) from the Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team finished more than half a minute behind in second place to ensure a nice Swiss one-two finish.
For Marcel Guerrini, who won U23 European Championship and World Championship bronze in 2016, it was his first victory in the elite at the Swiss Bike Cup. "This is my best success in the elite so far," he said happily after the race. Guerrini experienced a rollercoaster of emotions at the weekend and had to find out how close light and shade are in top-class sport. After finishing below par in 25th place at the European Championships in Munich on Saturday, he not only celebrated an outstanding victory on Sunday - perhaps with a little anger in his stomach - but was also able to confirm Swiss Cycling's confidence in him. Only a short time before the start in Basel, Guerrini was rewarded with the World Championship ticket. That's why, just a few minutes after his victory in the Schänzli, his focus was already back on the next highlight.
Kate Courtney: "The World Cup can come!"
In the women's race, heavy crashes at the start of the race caused minor and major dramas. The victim of a technical defect was the top favorite Laura Stigger from Austria. However, the young Swiss rider Noelle Burri (BIXS Performance) showed her best side, challenging the eventual winner, the American Kate Courtney (Scott Sram MTB Racing). The experienced American, who was already focusing on the upcoming World Championships in Basel, was finally able to break away from the Swiss rider. At the finish line, Italian champion Giada Specia (22) slipped between the two. Seraina Leugger, the local hero, was able to extend her lead in the overall standings with a strong 10th place as the third-best Swiss rider.
For Kate Courtney, the race in Schänzli was the final fine-tuning before the next highlight, the World Championships in Les Gets (Fr). Her determination to win was clear to see in the race and she was obviously very satisfied with the endurance test she passed. "In contrast to last year, I feel great. I'm really enjoying riding again. It makes all the difference that I'm in such good shape now. The World Championships can come, I'm looking forward to it!"Great sport for the juniors too
At the Junior World Cup, which was packed with 120 riders from 25 nations, Swiss rider Jan Christen (Gippingen) and Dutch rider David Haverdings rode a great duel at the highest level - with the Dutchman having the advantage at the finish. The two young riders had been together in St. Moritz at a high-altitude training camp before the Swiss Bike Cup race.
In the juniors, Monique Halter (Thömus Akros - Youngstars), who was competing for the first time after winning the U19 European Championship title, took a commanding victory ahead of Canada's Ava Holmgren.The impressive figures from Basel
- Record entry result of 1,300 riders from over 30 nations
- XCO dress rehearsal for next week's World Championships in France
- Superstar of the festival was Anton Cooper, Laura Stigger and US rider Kate Courtney, multiple world champion
- Record exhibition: 14 exhibitors from the bike industry were registered in the Village, the exhibition has never been so large
- World first: the TCS bike washing machine was unveiled
- 200 helpers put in over 400 days of work
- 10,000 spectators
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.