The Swiss dominate the race right from the start. Five of them, including the Czech Jaroslav Kulhavy, are represented in an initial leading group of six. The Italians Luca Braidot and Marco Fontana then ride up from behind and the maps are reshuffled.

A three-man group then emerges with Braidot, Forster and Nicola Rohrbach. The latter was no longer able to hold on after half the distance and dropped back. Rohrbach ultimately loses the internal Swiss duel for the eighth World Championship starting place against Reto Indergand, who is in the chasing group and fights for the bronze medal until the end.

Thomas Litscher, who was very aggressive at the start, loses the connection due to a rear wheel defect and later has a second one. At the front, Forster and Braidot continue to widen the gap on their pursuers. It comes down to a duel for the title, even if the Spaniard David Valero gets closer again with a great finish. Lars Forster has the greater reserves in the final lap. Braidot is able to parry his first attack, but then Forster pulls away to his greatest success to date.
"It went perfectly right from the start. I never had any problems keeping up with attacks. Simply awesome," commented Forster on his title win. When asked about the World Championships in Lenzerheide, he said smugly: "There's another Swiss guy there."

Lukas Flückiger finishes just four seconds off bronze. On the final lap, Flückiger rode with Valero to the chasing group around Indergand after he and the Spaniard had blown up the next group. But while Valero immediately rides past the group of three with Fontana, Indergand and Tempier, Flückiger stays at the back for now. "They then let the gap open up," he regrets. "That was my mistake not to ride past right away. In the end, I came very close again on the climb."

But he is satisfied with his performance. "It's a shame about the medal, I think I could have done it. But the curve is pointing upwards."
Flückiger deliberately waits in the first two laps and when the gap doesn't get any bigger, he knows that a good result is possible.
Reto Indergand is happy with his fifth place, also because it gives him a place on the World Championship grid. "That was the goal today. And I'm also happy for my roommate Lars," says Indergand.

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