The men's race was characterized by the battle of a leading group that broke away from the rest early on. Under the pace dictation of Nino Schurter, who made a brilliant return after a three-week break from racing, a three-man leading group formed with the French World Cup leader Julien Absalon and Mathias Flückiger. It was not until the penultimate of seven laps that Lukas Flückiger was able to make contact with the trio and it came down to a sprint finish. Schurter and Mathias Flückiger were ultimately the first to reach the finishing straight. World champion Nino Schurter secured the sprint confidently and without too much resistance from Flückiger.

"I can now take home a good feeling having won twice in Lenzerheide," said a delighted Schurter, who had already won the Swiss Championships at the same venue last year. "I liked the layout of the course. For the World Cup, however, the course still needs to be a bit more rain-proof and faster," said the rider from Chur. Since taking part in the Tour de Suisse, the 28-year-old first took a week off, got married and then started a two-week recovery training program. "Today's race was all about where I stand and how I can cope with the race rhythm." In addition, Lenzerheide is relatively high up. Everything went to his satisfaction. After a good start, he had a small crisis in the middle of the race, which he overcame well, Schurter explained. However, it was not easy to make up the difference.

"I came back from the altitude training camp and was still ill beforehand. This second place is confirmation for me that I have trained well and am in shape," said Mathias Flückiger, who finished in second place. The Ochlenberger was quite satisfied with his result: "Overtaking Schurter on the singletrail before the finish would only have been possible if Schurter had made a mistake, which he didn't do. World Cup leader Julien Absalon, who finished in third place, was also satisfied: "My form curve is constantly pointing upwards with regard to the upcoming World Cup stages. That gives me confidence." He liked the technically challenging course. BMC leader Fabian Giger, on the other hand, did not have a good day. At the last BMC stage in Montsevelier the previous week, he still managed second place. In Lenzerheide, however, he had a "jour sans" and only finished twelfth, but retained his leader's jersey.

Not so BMC leader Andrea Waldis. The day before, the rider from Morschach had competed in the U23 European Road Championships in Nyon. This double burden became too much for her. She gave up the race. Once again, Jolanda Neff came out on top. After Buchs, Tesserete and Gränichen, Lenzerheide was the fourth BMC victory of the season for the World Cup leader, who also reclaimed the leader's jersey in the national race series. "I didn't really have any tactics, I just rode my pace," said Neff after the race. The course was very demanding, which suited her. "After two weeks at an altitude training camp, I didn't know exactly where I stood. So I'm all the happier that it went so well." Second-placed Gunn-Rita Dahle also came straight from the training camp in Livigno. The Norwegian was satisfied with her placing, which also gives her hope of good rankings in the upcoming World Cups. "The race was a dream," gushed Austrian Lisi Osl (Ghost), who finished third. "Lenzerheide has found a new lover in me. The course is a dream." She had to struggle on the climbs. But the descents were great fun.

Amateur/Masters rider Andrin Beeli celebrated his first BMC victory of the season. The two remaining podium places were secured by U23 riders Simon Vitzthum and Max Foidl from Austria. In the junior category, Denmark's Simon Andreassen came out on top ahead of Germany's Luca Schwarzbauer and France's Lucas Dubau. The best Swiss was Noah Blöchlinger in fourth place.

At the start of the three-day race weekend, Swiss champion Marcel Wildhaber and last year's European champion from Bern, Jenny Rissveds, won the Eliminator race on Friday evening.

Ranking list BMC Racing Cup Lenzerheide:

Elite:
1st SCHURTER Nino 1986 Chur Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team 1:29:23.4
2nd FLÜCKIGER Mathias 1988 Ochlenberg Stöckli Pro Team +0:00.8
3rd ABSALON Julien (FRA) 1980 Raon-aux-bois BMC Mountainbike Racing Team +0:14,5
4th FLÜCKIGER Lukas 1984 Leimiswil BMC Mountainbike Racing Team +0:25,2
5th MAROTTE Maxime (FRA) 1986 Zillisheim Team BH SUNTOUR KMC +1:29,5
6th MCCONNELL Daniel (AUS) 1985 Bruthen Trek Factory Racing Team +1:54.7
7th VOGEL Florian 1982 Jona Scott-Odlo MTB Racing Team +2:22.4
8. NÄF Ralph 1980 Andwil BMC Mountainbike Racing Team +3:16,6
9th FANGER Martin 1988 Môtiers BMC Mountainbike Racing Team +4:36,7
10th VASTL Jan (CZE) * 1995 Vimperk Ceska sporitelna Specialized Junior MTB Team +4:40,0

Women:
1st NEFF Jolanda * 1993 Thal Liv Pro XC Team 1:33:23,9
2nd DAHLE-FLESJAA Gunn-Rita (NOR) 1973 Sandnes MULTIVAN MERIDA BIKING TEAM +0:57,4
3rd OSL Elisabeth (AUT) 1985 Kirchberg in Tirol GHOST Factory Racing +2:44.9
4th GROBERT Helen (GER) * 1992 Remetschwiel Focus XC Team +3:33.7
5th STIRNEMANN Kathrin 1989 Gränichen Sabine Spitz HAIBIKE Pro Team +3:57.9
6th SPITZ Sabine (GER) 1971 Murg Sabine Spitz HAIBIKE Pro Team +4:45,6
7. SÜSS Esther 1974 Küttigen Wheeler - iXS Team +5:48,6
8. LEUMANN Katrin 1982 Riehen GHOST Factory Racing +6:40,2
9. HENDERSON Rebecca (AUS) 1991 Canberra Trek Factory Racing Team +6:57,9
10th GANTENBEIN Corina 1986 Klosters Fischer - BMC +8:21.7

Juniors
1st ANDREASSEN Simon (DEN) 1997 Ballerup Danish National Team 1:07:48,1
2nd SCHWARZBAUER Luca (GER) 1996 Nürtingen-Reudern Lexware Mountainbike Team +1:20.7
3rd DUBAU Lucas (FRA) 1996 bezannes scott la clusaz +2:16,1
4th BLÖCHLINGER Noah 1996 Heiden bischibikes / kopierpapier.ch +2:32,9
5th PIGEON Hugo (FRA) 1996 CHEVAL BLANC VELOROC LAPIERRE +3:05,3
6. BRIATTA Hugo (FRA) 1996 vienne en arthies creuse oxygene scott +3:22,1
7. ALLEMAN Wout (BEL) 1996 Brussels NATIONAL TEAM BELGIUM +3:42,2
8. PERRIN-GANIER Neïlo (FRA) 1996 La Bresse Focus Rotor Coaching-system +3:50,7
9. PHILIPP Antoine (FRA) 1997 ST MARTIN DE QUEYRIERES VELOROC LAPIERRE +3:51,6
10th RAJCHART Jan (CZE) 1996 Brasy Nutrend Specialized Racing +4:07,8

Junior women
1st PRUDKOVA Barbora (CZE) 1996 Ostrava Nutrend Specialized Racing 1:04:06,6
2nd KELLER Alessandra 1996 Stans Strüby-Bixs Team +2:10,9
3. FREI Sina 1997 Uetikon am See jb Felt Team +2:37,6
4th SEITZ Aline 1997 Buchs AG Specialized Racing +4:05,3
5. NEUMÜLLER Lisa (GER) 1997 Kolbermoor Team Corratec +6:42,7
6. HEIGL Nadja (AUT) 1996 Vienna Sportunion MTB Team +7:42,0
7. GUERRINI Sonja 1997 Neuhaus Strüby-Bixs Team +7:43,3
8. CZECZINKAROVÁ Jana (CZE) 1997 Kolín BIG SHOCK TEAM +7:46,1
9. MACINOT Laurine (FRA) 1997 Longchamps sur aire Culture vélo Nancy +8:00,0
10th BEELI Pierina 1996 Sagogn bskGraf-ROLLMAT-KOBA MTB Team +8:13,3

Amateurs & Masters
1st BEELI Andrin * 1995 Sagogn bskGraf-ROLLMAT-KOBA MTB Team 1:11:27,4
2nd VITZTHUM Simon * 1995 Rheineck bischibikes/kopierpapier.ch / RV Altenrhein +0:29.3
3rd FOIDL Max (AUT) * 1995 St.Johann in Tirol Bike Team Kirchberg +2:39.7
4th OBRIST Fabian 1991 Winterthur Stevens/VC Hittnau +3:34.0
5. KUSTER Erich 1975 Appenzell Pink Gili Swiss Racingteam +3:47,4
6th FASNACHT Manuel * 1995 Gretzenbach Fischer Junior MTB Team +4:13.9
7. SCHMID Thomas 1990 Diepoldsau bskGraf-Rollmat MTB Team +4:24.0
8. MEYER Florian 1981 Rubigen Stöckli Heimberg +4:39.0
9. RIVA Alberto (ITA) 1981 Sliema Team Greens +4:42,6
10th KOLLER Joel * 1994 Schmerikon Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach +4:47,0

Source: Press release, www.bmc-racing-cup.ch