The top-class line-up with European champion Christoph Sauser and Swiss champion Urs Huber led to the expectation that this year's National Park Bike Marathon could end extremely close. However, only very few people expected that two rivals would be in a sprint finish on the long wooden bridge over the Inn shortly before the finish line. Contrary to forecasts, the weather was rainy for almost the entire ride around the 100-year-old Swiss National Park, but not too cold. Nevertheless, the riders took their time. At the first highlight of the day, the Costainas, a larger group formed the vanguard. The pace was only increased after the Münstertal. The elimination race could begin. But the three contenders for victory, Christoph Sauser, Urs Huber and Lukas Buchli, remained inseparable.

Not even the roof of the Tour, the Chaschauna Pass at 2,700 meters, shrouded in fog, which had always acted as the executioner of Graubünden's biggest mountain bike marathon after two thirds of the distance, was able to bring about a break at the top. The trio still appeared together back in Switzerland and set off on the remaining 35 kilometers through the Lower Engadine in Zernez. It was only on the penultimate climb to Lavin, around 20 km before the end of the race, that Buchli was no longer able to keep up with Sauser and Huber's increased pace.

"For me, the scene on the Chaschauna pass was significant. Sauser slightly behind. Huber, BiXS relay rider Giancarlo Sax and I didn't manage to maintain our lead despite our numerical superiority," explained Buchli at the finish. He had to realize that Sauser and Huber were simply a tad stronger. "After Lavin, they simply pushed through a counter climb, while I had to slow down." Buchli acknowledges the hierarchy: "The battle against the two best marathon riders at the moment has taken place. On a super good day, I might have been able to turn the race in my favor. But today I just couldn't do any more."

Winner Sauser also says: "The times when I could easily win a few marathons after winning the world championship are definitely over. The level is rising year after year." In 2007, at his first victory, he finished in Scuol after 5:45 hours and distanced Huber and Buchli by seven minutes or more. Last year, in his second triumph, the race time was only 5:30 hours and Huber was still a minute behind. "I can't win any closer than this time," said Sauser with a grin. "Buchli's bad luck was that we were still together after the Chaschauna. The last part of the course with the many shorter climbs is better suited to Sauser and me," Huber assessed. "I wanted to win and was the first to turn onto the bridge. But in the end the bridge was just a bit too long."

At the end of the women's race, last year's winner was also smiling: Milena Landtwing. The Zug native, who lives in Pontresina, won the ride around the Swiss National Park for the fourth time. However, she had other "problems" than her male competitors. As last year's runner-up Ariane Kleinhans decided to start on the short course in the middle of the week, she lost her toughest rival. So for Landtwing it was primarily a battle against herself. "I didn't have the best legs. But winning at home is the greatest thing for me," she said happily. She reached the finish line ahead of Nadia Walker from Uri and Transalp winner Cornelia Hug.

"The last 50 km were particularly tough. I covered them almost completely alone after my companion had a bad fall," Walker summed up. Walker and Hug rode together until Fuldera. Then Walker had the greater reserves. But Hug could by no means rest on her laurels and had to give her all again in the final to keep the advancing Andrea Kuster, who had last won in Scuol in 2010, at bay.

In the middle distance over 103 kilometers, iXS-classic leader Susanne Tanner cheered ahead of Franziska Brun and Alessia Nay; in the men's race Rick Reimann ahead of Florian Thie and Silvio Büsser.

Results National Park Bike Marathon 2014

Men (137 km):
1st Christoph Sauser (Sigriswil) 5:36:29.
2nd Urs Huber (Jonen) gl. At the moment
3rd Lukas Buchli (Felsberg) 1:02.
4th Jérémy Huguenin (Neuchâtel) 13:40.
5th Andreas Seewald (De) 16:13.
6th Philipp Gerber (Aeschiried) 21:25.
7th Oliver Zurbrügg (Lauterbrunnen) 22:55.
8th Mattia Longa (It) 25:26.
9th Lucien Besançon (Safenwil) 25:59.
10th Damian Perrin (Bern) 27:12.

Women (137 km):
1st Milena Landtwing (Pontresina) 6:57:11.
2nd Nadia Walker (Altdorf, UR) 18:02.
3rd Cornelia Hug (Amsoldingen) 29:48.
4th Andrea Kuster (Davos) 33:14.
5th Christina Willy-Kraxner (Scuol) 39:30.

Men (103 km):
1st Rick Reimann (Uster) 4:31:40.
2nd Florian Thie (Thun) 0:24.
3rd Silvio Büsser (Jona) 1:49.
4th Stefan Roffler (Trimmis) 7:18.
5th Urs Baumann (Igis) 7:29.
6th Sebastian Ortmann (De) 9:01.
7th Silvan Kälin (Unteriberg) 9:04.
8th Philipp Bohren (Grindelwald) 12:10.
9th Simon Vitzthum (Rheineck) 12:15.
10th Markus Finger (Rüegsau) 16:08.

Women (103 km):
1st Susanne Tanner (Lucerne) 5:27:09.
2nd Franziska Brun (Emmenbrücke) 8:09.
3rd Alessia Nay (Zizers) 24:03.

Intermediate result iXS classic (4/6):
Men: 1st Jérémy Huguenin (Neuchâtel) 395.22.
Women: 1st Milena Landtwing (Pontresina) 396.87.