The men's race gets off to an unusual start. In Val Vau, shortly after the first climb, Oliver Zurbrügg breaks away and rides up to the Costainas Pass at kilometer 24 with a lead of around two minutes. However, the leading riders in the first chasing group remain unperturbed and make up the gap by the time they reach the Alpisella Pass. Together they ride through Livigno. At the Chaschauna Pass, the main obstacle on the lap around the Swiss National Park at an altitude of 2,700 meters, the battle for victory is relaunched when German marathon champion Markus Kaufmann increases the pace. He is the first to arrive at the culmination point, closely followed by Italian Samuele Porro.

On the descent, the German Jochen Käss, who had already finished third last year, joins the leading duo. Together, the group tackled the remaining 50 kilometers back to Scuol. In the sprint, Käss ultimately wins by a narrow margin because he knows that the race counts at the timing arch and not 100 meters further on at the finish arch. Markus Kaufmann comes third.

Looser with long-awaited victory

Behind the three front-runners, the Swiss are fighting for the national title. Konny Looser has the best legs as he takes on the climb to Guarda after Lavin, breaks away from the chasing group and rides to his first title win. Marc Stutzmann is able to follow him the longest and takes the silver medal. Bronze goes to Oliver Zurbrügg. "I must have been dreaming of the title. But I didn't expect it," says Looser at the finish. He never had to ride at the limit during the entire 137 kilometers. Everything played in his favor: The heat, the early attack by teammate Zurbrügg, even the Chaschauna Pass went great. He didn't feel his leg artery problems, which had slowed him down in the last two competitions, today, explained Looser.

Marc Stutzmann didn't expect silver beforehand either, at best bronze: "At Chaschauna I even saw my chances of a medal dwindle when Zurbrügg was able to catch up again. But then it was actually a stroke of luck. We complemented each other well and were able to catch up again." Zurbrügg says: "Despite my crash on the descent from the Chaschauna Pass, I was still able to come third. That's great, of course." Adrien Chenaux, the leader of the "Garmin Bike Marathon Classics", which includes the National Park Bike Marathon, was unlucky. The gifted mountain biker was slowed down by a rear wheel defect on the descent to Livigno and had to let the leading group go. However, he is still able to maintain his leader's jersey.

Seventh title for Suess

Esther Süss and Austrian national champion Angelia Tazmeister are in the running for the women's title. The duo harmonize so well that the course record from 2013, ridden by Milena Landtwing, is improved by twelve minutes. European marathon champion Christina Kollmann came third. This is Süss's seventh title win at the Swiss Championships. One week after her triumph at the Grand Raid, the silver medal goes to Florence Darbellay from Switzerland. Andrea Ming surprisingly wins bronze. Last year's title holder, Ariane Lüthi, takes a wrong turn and loses her chance. Garmin leader Cornelia Hug has a bad day and retires from the race exhausted. The new leader is Esther Süss, who has already won the Eiger Bike Challenge.

The women are very fast on the middle distance. Winner Arina Riatsch beat the old best time on the 103-kilometer course by twelve minutes. She distances second-placed Michèle Wittlin by over 18 minutes. Third-placed Seraina Riatsch is almost half an hour behind. Remo Fischer won the men's race ahead of Fadri Baradun and Pascal Kiser.

With 2200 participants, the National Park Bike Marathon sets a new record. A very successful debut for the new OC President Claudio Duschletta.