According to top rider Urs Huber, the pace was still "reasonably leisurely" at the start. However, this changed whenever he or co-favorite Alban Lakata took the lead on the various climbs. The leading group was continually reduced in size until after Livigno at the foot of the almost 2700 meter high Chaschauna Pass, which was also the main obstacle of the day, Urs Huber made a resolute start. After a few hundred meters, only the Austrian champion Alban Lakata was able to follow the Swiss champion. Daniel Geismayr and Jochen Käss had to let the duo go. After two thirds of the climb, Lakata turned the tables and forced the pace. Urs Huber now had to let go, but caught up with the runner-up on the descent. Up to Ftan, the two Lades champions made common cause - also in the knowledge that their two teammates, Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr, who were hot on their heels, were harmonizing well. With an attack in the final descent, Huber finally forced the decision in his favor.

"I suffered terribly on the Chaschauna. That's why I had to let Alban go. I was able to catch up with him again, but I slowed down from Lavin onwards because I could feel the heat. He led almost everything from then on," said Huber appreciatively. Lakata was delighted to have achieved a podium place again after a difficult phase. His lead in the Chaschauna was more of a coincidence: "I had a slightly bigger smallest gear than Urs. I also wanted to reach the culmination point before Urs so that I could ride the steep descent at my own pace." It had been his plan to let Huber catch up again afterwards, as the last 50 kilometers back to Scuol were pretty tough on his own. "It was good that Daniel and Jochen were behind us. That put pressure on us so that we couldn't tactic too much at the front," said Lakata. Attacking Huber again on the final descent was too dangerous for him on the slippery gravel road. After all, he is a family man, said Lakata with a wink. "I didn't start the race 100 percent fresh, as I was coming out of a form build-up for the season finale," said last year's runner-up Käss, explaining his weakness on the Chaschauna.

In the women's race, Cornelia Hug celebrated her first victory in the Garmin Bike Marathon Classic. "I had great respect for being slowed down by muscle cramps due to the heat. But everything went well. I'm really happy," said the rider from Amsoldingen, who finished second in the Grand Raid in Valais six days ago. Garmin Bike Marathon Classiscs leader Nadia Walker came second and Florence Darbellay third. Like her fellow competitors, the Romand had more trouble "digesting" the Grand Raid. "That was tough," she said, probably speaking from the heart of many.

Results

Men (137 km): 1. Urs Huber (Mettmenstetten) 5:26:10. 2. Alban Lakata (Ö) 0:05. 3. Jochen Käss (De) 0:25. 4. Daniel Geismayr (Ö) gl. 5. Samuele Porro (It) 8:45. 6. Hansueli Stauffer (Sigriswil) 14:38. 7. Jérémy Huguenin (Neuchâtel) 18:27. 8. Emeric Turlat (Lausanne) 18:28. 9. Xavier Dafflon (Avry-sur-Matran) 22:46. 10. Uwe Hardter (De) 22:48.

Women (137 km): 1. Cornelia Hug (Amsoldingen) 6:45:06. 2. Nadia Walker (Altdorf UR) 2:24. 3. Florence Darbellay 16:33. 4. Andrea Ming (Neerach) 19:45. 5. Janine Schneider (De) 36:32.

Men (103 km): 1. Frank Demuth (De) 4:16:10. 2. Stefan Vögeli (Wimmis) 8:20. 3. Manuel Müller (De) 19:44. 4. Lorenz Inauen (Appenzell) 26:29. 5. Sascha Deplazes (Sedrun) 27:11. 6. Christian Kälin (Bennau) 29:09. 7. Andreas Forlin (Sargans) 29:34. 8. Thomas Prieth (It) 33:16. 9. Valentin Fliri (It) 33:28. 10. Bernhard Malgiaritta (Münstair) 33:48.

Women (103 km): 1. Arina Riatsch (Sent) 5:20:13. 2. Seraina Riatsch (Sent) 4:10. 3. Margrit Abächerli (Erstfeld) 10:27. 4. Alexandra Clement (Hinterforst) 12:40. 5. Michèle Wittlin (Liestal)16.12.

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