A classic race with a dramatic episode in the men's race: favorite Nino Schurter (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing), 2016 Olympic champion and the most successful Swiss rider of all time, came straight from the altitude training camp to Echallens to test his Olympic form and win his 10th Swiss championship title. However, halfway through the race, the Grisons rider was slowed down by punctures and lost a lot of time as a result.

Schurter was no longer able to fight for the title, but with a great effort he fought his way back to third place.

Colombo in the lead from lap 2

The story of the race was written by his team-mate Filippo Colombo, who was already in the lead at the time of Schurter's retirement. The 26-year-old from Ticino knew that he had to make things clear early on in the strong field. He broke away on the second lap to avoid further battles for position. From then on, he dominated the race and never let it out of his hands until the finish. "I'm super happy, I really wanted the title," said Colombo, who won his first Swiss elite cross-country title.

His most persistent rival, Joel Roth (BIXS Performance Race Team), constantly exerted enormous pressure from behind, but Colombo was in a class of his own on this day.

European U23 champion Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) took the coveted Swiss cross jersey ahead of Maxime L'Homme (Team BMC) and Luke Wiedmann (Thömus maxon).

Indergand Swiss cross-country champion for the first time

The women's race was also characterized by the emotions of the winner: Uri native Linda Indergand (31), Olympic bronze medalist at Tokyo 2021 and team world champion in 2023, also celebrated her first and long-awaited elite Swiss cross-country title. "I'm overwhelmed," she said at the finish, delighted with the jersey with the Swiss cross.

From an initial compact pack of five with Indergand, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing), Jolanda Neff (TREK Factory Racing) and Seraina Leugger (BIXS Performance Race Team), it became a leading trio from the third lap onwards, as Neff and Leugger had to let go.

Indergand was able to use her experience and technical skills to her advantage in a tactical race with many changes of position until almost the end. After setting the pace, she confidently pulled away before the long home straight. Sina Frei, the silver medal winner from Tokyo 2021, crossed the finish line three seconds behind. Nicole Koller, the short track champion from Friday, secured the other podium place.

Neff not yet in the swing of things

Jolanda Neff, the Olympic champion from Tokyo 2021, was still not really in the swing of things, just like in Friday's short track race. The athlete from eastern Switzerland has recently been struggling with health problems and finished sixth, one and a half minutes behind the leader. Neff has been selected for the Paris Games alongside Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon), who decided against defending her title in Echallens in favor of her preparations for the Olympics.

The U23 category race was also characterized by a high level and excitement: Lea Huber (TREK Future Racing), Fiona Schibler (Bike Team Solothurn) and Elina Benoit pushed to the finish within just one second of each other.

Halter and Liehner in the juniors

In the juniors, the favorite, Nicolas Halter (KA Boom Krapf), prevailed ahead of his teammate Sven Sommer and Noel Toth (RC & Bikecenter Steffisburg). Lara Liehner (Thömus Akros - Youngstars) won the junior title ahead of Sirin Städler (also Thömus Akros Youngstars) and Muriel Furrer (BIXS Performance Bike Team).

The Swiss Champion awards in the U17 categories went to 15-year-old Anja Grossmann from the Specialized XC Junior Team Switzerland and Marwam Karim Barhoumi (Pédale Bulloise), also 15, on Saturday. Last year's winner and favorite Grossmann won by a large margin over her teammate Shana Huber and Elia Marthe (VC Fribourg). Barhoumi also took a commanding victory ahead of Levin Näf (RN Racing Service Course) and Ron Hürlimann from the Ägeri Cycling Race Team.

In the Masters, 31-year-old Sebastian Zimmer (Drift Racing Collective) won through.

Results

Koller and Forster take the short track titles

Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and Lars Forster (Thömus maxon) won the short track titles at the start of the Swiss Mountain Bike Championships in Echallens from July 12-14, 2024. The national highlight of the mountain biking season is integrated into the 31st CIC Swiss Bike Cup.

There was high tension right at the start of the elite title fights: the 27-year-old mixed relay world champion from 2023, Nicole Koller from Wetzikon, beat Linda Indergand (Liv Factory Racing) and Stefi Häberlin (Team BMC) in a dramatic sprint decision. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) also crossed the finish line in almost the same breath

Forster creates clear conditions

In the men's race, on the other hand, Lars Forster created clear conditions on the third-last lap. The 30-year-old 2023 European cross-country runner-up was then able to ride the last two laps unchallenged to the title. Marcel Guerrini (BIXS Performance Race Team), nine seconds behind, and defending champion and favorite Thomas Litscher (Lapierre Mavic Unity, 11 seconds behind) completed the podium.

Favorite Nicolas Halter (KA BOOM Krapf) won the junior category in a "training race" without a title being awarded, while Lara Liehner (Thömus Akros Youngstars) won the junior category.

Almost 700 starters - 9 titles in total

Almost 700 riders are expected to take part in the big championship weekend in Vaud. In addition to the official nine Swiss championship titles, the U17 Swiss Champion awards will also be presented on Saturday as part of the CIC Swiss Bike Cup.

Results