Iron Bike Race Einsiedeln: The Last Dance

Iron Bike Einsiedeln 2026

Photo: Martin Platter

The final edition of the Iron Bike Race took place on Sunday in Einsiedeln under perfect weather conditions. It also served as the finale of the 2026 Bike Marathon Classics. In the long-distance race over 81 kilometers, Martin Fanger took the win ahead of Belgian Frans Claes (+0:45) and Hansueli Stauffer (+6:04). In the women’s race, Bike Marathon World Champion Anna Weinbeer won convincingly. However, Alessia Nay claimed the overall victory with a ten-point lead.

For Martin Fanger, this was his fourth consecutive victory following the Eiger Bike Challenge, the Grand Raid BCVS, and the National Park Bike Marathon—and thus also a commanding overall victory in the Bike Marathon Classics. Although Hansueli Stauffer had officially retired last year, he was at the starting line to accompany his friend Claes in his final race—but then the racing fever got the better of him again. In Alpthal and Einsiedeln, Stauffer surprisingly led the pack. At the second mountain prize, however, he had to let the others pull away. Fanger and Claes stayed together until Trachslau, before Fanger pulled away. Claes bids farewell as the runner-up in the overall standings.

Urs Huber had also effectively retired after being forced to cut short last season due to injury. This year, the seven-time Classics overall champion returned to bid farewell with the top results he’d hoped for. With a 6th-place finish in Einsiedeln, he secured third place overall in the Classics.

Nay beats world champion Weinbeer by 10 points

The women’s race was particularly thrilling, as the Classics title was also on the line. Last year’s winner, Anna Weinbeer, once again delivered a commanding start-to-finish victory. It was her fourth win in the fourth Classics race of the season. However, because she had missed two races, it wasn’t quite enough for another overall victory in the Bike Marathon Classics. Nay finished second and benefited from the discard rule: She won the series with 1,010 points to 1,000. Stefanie Zahno finished third in Einsiedeln and is also third in the overall standings.

In the Fun category, Andreas Plüss secured the overall title with his third win of the season, ahead of Mathieu Rochat and Marcio Lourenço.

In the 49-kilometer middle-distance race, Timé Liechti capped off his already-secured overall title with his third victory of the season, finishing a good two minutes ahead of Dario Rohn. Yves-Alain Juan finished second overall, ahead of Baptiste Houriet. In the women’s division, Elodie Python remained undefeated in her fifth race of the season and won the series in commanding fashion. Behind her, Nina Christen and Roxane Cutilla overtook Dounia Challandes in the final to claim second and third place overall.

The vintage category provided a lighthearted counterpoint to the fierce battle at the front. Numerous mountain bikes from the 1990s lined the starting line, and many riders were dressed as colorfully as they were in the early days of cycling.