As in 2006, the weather is also bad for this year's edition of the Eiger Bike Challenge in Grindelwald. Back then, Lukas Buchli from Graubünden won his first marathon race. After five second places, he can now claim his second victory in this race. It will also be his last here, as Buchli is retiring at the end of the season to pursue a new career. Buchli revealed that this step had become apparent during the current season. For some time now, he has done without performance measuring devices in training. Training by feel seems to have done Buchli good.

Despite his renewed strength, the race is hard work for him. On the first climb to Grosse Scheidegg, a quartet of all the podium contenders - Buchli, Urs Huber, Jérémy Huguenin, series leader Sepp Freiburghaus and Oliver Zürbrügg - pull away from the rest. The leading group gets smaller on each of the following climbs. Zurbrügg and Freiburghaus have to let go on the climb to the peloton. At the Bort, Huber rides into a crisis when Huguenin picks up the pace. Buchli immediately increases the pace again and is able to pull away. Huguenin rode in second position for a long time. But Huber recovers and overtakes the Frenchman on the final climb to Kleine Scheidegg.

Landtwing in impressive form
Milena Landtwing is riding a lonely race at the top of the women's race. She is currently in peak form, having won the Ironbike Marathon in Ischgl and the M3 Marathon in Montafon in the last few weeks. With her victory in Grindelwald, Landtwing has further extended her lead in the series standings. Cornelia Hug finished the big Eiger Bike Loop in second place behind the Engadin by choice. Nadia Walker fights her way through the rain to third place. Fourth and fifth place go to Andrea Ming and the Spaniard Merce Pacios Pujado.

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