In the run-up to the race, everything was pointing towards a duel between Julien Taramarcaz and Marcel Wildhaber. Taramarcaz is always at the front and expresses his ambitions with his attack. However, this attack comes a little too early with two laps to go. Flückiger is able to keep up the pace and Marcel Wildhaber leads the chasers back to the front shortly afterwards. The leading group now comprises no fewer than eight riders. On the last kilometer, Flückiger attacks on a climb and breaks into the group. Defending champion Taramarcaz runs out of energy and drops off. Meanwhile, the hardest 500 meters begin for Flückiger, where he has to maintain his narrow lead against the pressure of his rivals. In the end, Lukas Flückiger crosses the finish line two seconds ahead of the chasing group.

In the sprint for silver, Eliminator Swiss champion Marcel Wildhaber comes out on top. Simon Zahner came third, beating Arnaud Grand and Lukas Winterberg. Grand lodges a protest against Flückiger shortly after crossing the finish line. In an attempt to prevent a crash, he comes off the track on the second lap. However, the jury sees no wrongdoing on Flückiger's part and rejects the protest.Youngest Swiss champion of all time
Following the retirement of title holder Jasmin Achermann, the national women's title will be awarded anew. The youngest participant in the field, aged 16, has the best maps. Sina Frei has already caused a sensation in the run-up to several races and so she will get her next chance in Bussnang. In the sprint decision, Frei, who is 150 centimetres short, prevailed against mountain bike specialist Katrin Leumann, who won her seventh silver medal in a row. Jane Nüssli finished in third place.

There was no great excitement in the U23 category. Lars Forster successfully defended his title and relegated Severin Sägesser and Fabian Lienhard to the places of honor in a sprint decision. In fourth place and last in the leading group, Lukas Müller has to settle for the leather medal. Andri Frischknecht was unable to intervene in the decision, but achieved a respectable sixth place after breaking his collarbone in late fall.

There was another favorite victory in the juniors. Johan Jacobs wins with a solid lead ahead of his Steinmaurer club colleague Timon Rüegg and Patrick Müller from Wetzikon. Jacobs thus confidently defends his Swiss championship title from the previous year.

In the Masters category, a familiar face returns to the top step of the podium. Jürg Graf, who was Swiss cross-country champion in 2007, beat defending champion Beat Morf to win the Masters title. Adrian Muri comes third.

Olivia Hottinger and Reto Müller win the titles in the u17 categories.

www.radquer.ch