Stauffer and Zürcher take overall victories in the Swiss marathon series

Hansueli Stauffer holt erstmals den Classics-Gesamtsieg.

Photo: Martin Platter

The top favorites Hansueli Stauffer, Urs Huber and Martin Fanger did full justice to their role in the Iron Bike Race, which took place as part of the Bikeside Festival in Einsiedeln. Stauffer took a commanding victory ahead of Fanger and Huber, securing the overall ranking of the Bike Marathon Classics for the first time. In the women's race, a puncture almost thwarted the overall victory of Alexandra Zürcher, who crossed the finish line in 5th place. Stefanie Zahno, who could have challenged her for the triumph, crashed on the last meter before the finish and fell back from 2nd to 3rd place. Swiss champion Irina Lützelschwab won ahead of the Italian Chiara Burato.

Bike Marathon Classics leader Hansueli Stauffer and Martin Fanger broke away from the rest shortly after the start and cranked together towards the mountain prize on "Schwyzern", which Stauffer won by the width of a tire. The leading duo rode together towards Rothenthurm. On the following climb up to Lochweid, the highest point of the route, Stauffer was able to distance himself from Fanger and rode alone at the front to the finish - despite having to stop in the meantime due to changer problems. Fanger finished in second place and thus also made a leap in the overall classification from fourth to second place. It was only exciting for third place, which Urs Huber won in a sprint against the Belgian Frans Claes. Tenth-placed Pascal Nay finally took third place in the BMC final classification.

"I actually had a different tactic than pushing the pace after the mountain prize. I wanted to make the race hard, but then I already had such a big lead after the first descent that I wanted to defend it. I soon realized that Fanger was struggling on the mountain. So it was only a matter of time before I was riding alone at the front," explained Fanger at the finish. After the National Park Bike Marathon at the end of August, he worked on his form again and has now reached a peak right on time. "After two second places in Einsiedeln, winning for the first time and the Classics on top of that was a great end to the season," said Stauffer.

"Hansueli was clearly the strongest today," also acknowledged second-placed Martin Fanger, who looked back on a season with numerous triumphs, but also the crash at the World Championships in Scotland, which severely interrupted his run. Urs Huber was not really happy: "I didn't have my best day today and rode defensively on the downhills so as not to risk another stupid crash. Still, third place. Next year I'll go for it again."

A drama unfolded in the women's race behind winner Irina Lützelschwab. Stefanie Zahno was riding confidently in second place - until she crashed on the last kilometer. A willow fence "got lost" in her rear wheel and paralyzed her chain and gears. Zahno was no longer able to ride and had to walk the last few meters to the finish. The Italian Chiara Burato snatched second place from her. The disappointment was correspondingly great. Zahno wept bitter tears at the finish. Because the overall victory in the Classics was also at stake. Leader Alexandra Zürcher lost a lot of time due to a flat tire and only reached the finish line in fifth place. However, everything remained the same in the final classification. Zürcher took the second overall Classics victory, ahead of Zahno and Alessia Nay. Sixth place in the daily classification was enough for the Grisons rider to finish third on the Classics podium.

Six riders - Florian Wenger, Michael Nydegger, Michaël Montadon, Patrick Zürcher, Andreas Plüss and Alexandre Bryand - battled for the title in the fun riders' category. In the end, Zürcher came out on top ahead of Plüss and Wenger.

In the middle distance, Noël Schenkel toppled the absent Julien Vuillioment from the throne with his victory. Janis Hofer came third ahead of David Gaillard and Rolf Schori.

Luana Gyr took the women's middle distance title ahead of the absent Julie Thiémard and Illona Chavaillaz.