Team Thömus maxon delivered an impressive performance at the Fullgaz MTB Race in Obergessertshausen, Germany, with Lars Forster taking second place and Vital Albin finishing third. In extremely tough conditions marked by cold temperatures, rain and deep mud, the team showed both resilience and attacking intent. Albin animated the race at the front, while Forster produced a strong finish to secure his place on the podium.

In the opening phase of the UCI Continental Series race, a six rider breakaway formed at the front, featuring all three Thömus maxon riders: Lars Forster, Vital Albin and Mathias Flückiger. Flückiger was unable to maintain the pace in the second half of the race, but still held on for a solid sixth place.

Albin sets the pace at the front

Up front, the race turned into a fierce battle for victory. Vital Albin was one of the key protagonists throughout, racing aggressively and repeatedly forcing the pace. Heading into the final lap, he was still in contention for the win alongside reigning U23 world champion Finn Treudler. In the decisive moment, however, Treudler proved stronger and pulled away.

Lars Forster, meanwhile, kept moving up through the field. After struggling on the climbs early in the race, he found his rhythm and made up crucial time on the descents. Growing stronger as the race went on, he launched one final effort on the last lap and overtook Albin just before the finish to secure second place, with Albin rounding out the podium in third.

Forster: “I kept getting stronger as the race went on”

“I had a hard time on the climbs at the beginning, but I really enjoyed the descents and was able to make up time there. The longer the race went on, the better I felt. That gave me the chance to push again at the end and get past Vital,” said Forster after the race.

Albin was also upbeat afterwards: “I felt really good today and I was fighting for the win. In the end, I just didn’t have an answer when Finn attacked, and then I lost one more place. Still, third is a very strong result.” With two riders on the podium, Team Thömus maxon once again underlined its strong early season form and can look ahead to the upcoming races with confidence.

Results Fullgaz MTB Race

Team Thömus maxon can look back on an all-round successful start to the Swiss season in the Škoda Swiss Bike Cup: Mathias Flückiger claimed a commanding victory at the Tamaro Trophy in Rivera, while Vital Albin delivered a strong fourth-place finish.

Flückiger made his decisive move early in the race. The Bernese rider took the lead on lap two and controlled the race on the technically demanding course with impressive consistency and strength all the way to the finish.

“That gives me a lot of confidence”

“I felt really good and I’m delighted to take the win today. We changed our strategy in preparation for the World Cups, and victories like this are an important step towards the first major goals of the season. That gives me a lot of confidence,” Flückiger said after the race.

Behind Finn Treudler and Fabio Püntener, who finished second and third respectively, Vital Albin secured an excellent fourth place. With a consistent ride that saw him work his way forward position by position, Albin was duly rewarded. Lars Forster, meanwhile, made a strong start but did not have his best day and also had to make a stop in the tech zone. He eventually finished 11th.

Tamaro Trophy Rivera Results

Alessandra Keller and Candice Lill (Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi) look back on an exceptionally successful week at the Cape Epic: after eight days of racing, the duo claimed overall victory in the prestigious stage race in South Africa with an impressive display of dominance.

Keller and Lill underlined their superiority once again in the final stage, crossing the finish line after a solo breakaway to seal their seventh stage win of the race. Their lead in the overall standings ultimately grew to almost 53 minutes, a clear reflection of the team’s extraordinary performance.

Much more than a victory

For Alessandra Keller, this success marks the perfect start to her journey in this prestigious race: on her very first appearance, she secured the overall win. Beyond the sporting triumph, the victory also carries a deeper and more personal meaning for Keller: “What started as a shared project and an adventure became something very special. Of course, we wanted to succeed in sporting terms, but beyond the victory, we gained something far more valuable: a true friendship,” she said, clearly moved.

For Candice Lill, too, this triumph carries special significance. After several second-place finishes in the past, the South African has finally fulfilled her big dream in front of her home crowd. The emotion was also evident in the winners’ interview. With tears in her eyes, Lill said: “Finally. I had experienced so many disappointments here, and I’m incredibly grateful to the people around me for always believing in me.”

This shared success underlines the strength of the partnership within Team Thömus maxon Sabi Sabi and marks an important milestone in Alessandra Keller’s career.

Stage 7 results

Overall standings

A successful start for Alessandra Keller and Candice Lill at the Absa Cape Epic: the duo from team “Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi” won the prologue and set an early benchmark at the beginning of this prestigious stage race in South Africa.

This year’s edition kicked off at the Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville. On a roughly 20-kilometre loop with around 650 metres of elevation gain, riders had to face African heat for the first time. Temperatures of around 30 degrees already created demanding conditions on the opening day.

Keller and Lill approached the prologue in a controlled manner and quickly found their rhythm. On the technically demanding trails around the wine estate, the duo played to their strengths and set the fastest time in the elite women’s field.

The men’s race developed into an intense and tactical contest from the very beginning, with a high pace throughout. The three Thömus maxon riders were right in the middle of the action. Lars Forster was particularly active, shaping the race from the front for long stretches.

“We had a clear plan for this prologue and were able to execute it very well,” said Keller. “The win is a great first success, but it’s only the beginning. The race is long – we need to stay focused day by day.”

Start of an intense race week

The prologue traditionally marks the start of the eight-day stage race, which is considered one of the toughest and most renowned events in the international mountain biking calendar.

For Keller and Lill, the focus now shifts to recovery after the successful start and preparation for the upcoming stages. The first stage, taking place tomorrow, covers 66 kilometres with 1,800 metres of elevation gain from Montagu to Montagu.

Other podium finishers in the prologue were Courtney/Seiwald (USA/ITA) and Van Doorn/Looser (NED/NAM).

Results

The Absa Cape Epic is about to begin. For Alessandra Keller, a new chapter in her career starts this Sunday, March 15. The Swiss world-class mountain biker will take part in the most prestigious stage race in mountain biking for the first time. Together with South African Candice Lill, she forms the team “Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi”.

The Absa Cape Epic is considered the “Tour de France of mountain biking”. Over eight days, the race leads through spectacular landscapes between mountains and bush, and ranks among the toughest and most renowned events on the international MTB calendar.

For Alessandra Keller, this is her first participation in this legendary event and at the same time one of her major goals of the season. The Swiss rider has specifically prepared for the demands of a multi-day stage race and has already spent time in South Africa at the beginning of the year. “The Cape Epic is a race I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. The atmosphere, the course and the format make this event unique. I’m really looking forward to taking on this challenge together with Candice Lill,” says Keller.

Experience meets world-class performance

For Alessandra Keller, this is her first participation in this legendary event and at the same time one of her major goals of the season. The Swiss rider has specifically prepared for the demands of a multi-day stage race and has already spent time in South Africa at the beginning of the year. “The Cape Epic is a race I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. The atmosphere, the course and the format make this event unique. I’m really looking forward to taking on this challenge together with Candice Lill,” says Keller.

An additional advantage: both riders use the same equipment. Since the 2026 season, Candice Lill has also been riding Thömus bikes, which further simplifies coordination of setup and equipment.

Eight days of high intensity

The prologue will take place on Sunday, March 15 in Durbanville, before the first stage starts the following day in Montagu. In total, the riders will cover 707 kilometres and 15,900 metres of elevation gain. Fans can follow Alessandra Keller and Candice Lill via the Cape Epic livestreams on YouTube.

Livestream prologue
Website Absa Cape Epic

A strong start to the new season for Thömus maxon: at the C1 race in Albenga, Alessandra Keller and Lars Forster both secured second place. The team’s other riders also delivered solid performances in the first form test of the season, contributing to a strong overall team result.

The women’s race on the fast and very rocky course in Albenga started cautiously for Alessandra Keller. After the long start climb, the Nidwalden rider entered the first downhill section in sixth position. From there, she steadily worked her way forward – no easy task on the technically demanding course with its many rocky sections.

Keller uses race as Cape Epic test

In the end, Keller secured second place behind Laura Stigger (AUT), while Sofie Pedersen (DEN) finished third.
“I’m satisfied with the race, which I used as an intense training session and as a form test ahead of my first major goal of the season, the Cape Epic. I’m now heading to South Africa with a good feeling,” Keller said at the finish.

The men’s race developed into an intense and tactical contest from the very beginning, with a high pace throughout. The three Thömus maxon riders were right in the middle of the action. Lars Forster was particularly active, shaping the race from the front for long stretches.

Forster sprints onto the podium

In the final lap, the rider from eastern Switzerland attempted to take the lead once more. However, in the final sprint he was narrowly beaten and finished second behind Mathis Azzaro (FRA), while Simone Avondetto (ITA) took third place.

“I felt very good and tried once more to take the lead in the final lap. Finishing second in such a strong field makes me very happy with my start to the season,” said Forster. Mathias Flückiger also delivered a strong race, finishing sixth after crossing the line within the lead group. Vital Albin was very active early in the race but had to pay the price for the high pace later on and eventually finished 13th.

Next races ahead

The Thömus maxon men will return to action on March 22 at the HC race on Monte Tamaro (TI). Alessandra Keller will already line up at the Cape Epic in South Africa from March 15, where she will compete alongside South African rider Candice Lill.

Results – XCO C1 Albenga

During the official team presentation at the Swiss Bike Park in Oberried, the Swiss mountain bike team Thömus maxon unveiled its sporting goals, structural developments and technical innovations for the 2026 season. With continuity in its elite roster, new partnerships and targeted investments in youth development and equipment, the team looks ahead to the upcoming race season with strong ambitions.

In 2026, Thömus maxon will compete with an unchanged line-up. World champion Alessandra Keller, Mathias Flückiger, Lars Forster and Vital Albin will once again represent the team’s colours on the international stage.

Energy producer Alpiq joins as a new partner

Following the successes of recent years, the objective is clear: to further strengthen the team’s leading position in international cross-country racing. Season highlights include the European Championships on home soil in Rivera (TI), the World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, as well as the legendary multi-stage race Cape Epic.

Alpiq joins the team as a new partner. The Swiss energy producer strengthens the long-term planning security of Ralph Näf’s team – particularly with a view to the 2028 Olympic Games. The two partners share more than just an involvement in elite sport. Both Alpiq and Thömus maxon have strong Swiss roots, pursue international ambitions and place great importance on people, culture and especially the development of young talent.

Näf says: “For us as an organisation, continuity is essential. You can see that in our sponsors as well as in our rider line-up. With Alpiq as a new partner, we have created the foundation to continue moving forward successfully on this path. The starting position for the 2026 season is therefore clear: we want to fight for the top step of the podium. We are hungry for World Cup victories, for the European Championships on home soil, the World Championships in Italy and the Cape Epic, where we want to shine.”

Alessandra Keller to race Cape Epic for the first time

For team leader Alessandra Keller, the 2026 season will include a special sporting goal: her first participation in the Cape Epic in South Africa.

She will compete in a two-rider team with local star Candice Lill, who has already achieved several top results in this prestigious stage race. As part of her preparation, Keller spent several weeks in South Africa at the beginning of the year to optimally align equipment, conditions and teamwork.

With these impressions and the intensive preparation, she looks forward to this new chapter of her career with great motivation.“I’m incredibly excited about the Cape Epic. The timing never worked out before. This year I was able to prepare specifically for this event and it fits perfectly into my overall season planning. With Candice, I have an extremely strong and experienced partner by my side. After that, my full focus will shift to the World Cup. I want to perform there and do justice to my world champion jersey,” Keller says with a smile.

Developing young talent as a strategic foundation

A central element of Thömus maxon’s long-term strategy remains the systematic development of young riders within its team structure.

The team “Alpiq Thömus – Young” has been newly positioned and focuses specifically on national riders in the U15 to U19 categories, forming the first performance level within the team’s development pyramid.

Already well established internationally is the U23 elite team “Thömus Akros – Youngstars”, which has strengthened its position in international competition over the past years.

Together, these two teams form the foundation of Thömus maxon’s structured talent development system – with the clear ambition of building the world-class riders of tomorrow.

New race equipment: innovation as a key success factor

To achieve its sporting goals, the team continues to rely on cutting-edge technology. Main sponsor Thömus presents the updated Lightrider R3 Worldcup 2026 – the world champion bike in an optimised version – providing the perfect equipment to achieve the desired results.

Through consistent development work and the ambition to remain at the forefront of technology, the Swiss bike manufacturer keeps pace with international competition while setting new benchmarks.

Outlook

With continuity in its elite roster, strengthened youth development, long-term partnerships and innovative technology, Thömus maxon enters the 2026 season with clear ambitions.

Mountain bike world champion Alessandra Keller will take part in the Absa Cape Epic for the first time in 2026. The world’s most prestigious MTB stage race marks a new sporting focus for the Swiss rider. Together with South African Candice Lill, Keller will line up highly focused and with clear ambitions – forming the team “Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi”.

The Cape Epic covers 692 kilometres and nearly 16,000 metres of elevation from Montagu to Stellenbosch and is widely regarded as the most prestigious stage race in mountain biking. For Alessandra Keller, it will be her first participation – while also marking a key milestone in her 2026 season planning and one of the earliest highlights of the year.

Despite lacking personal Cape Epic experience, the Swiss rider will start the race with clear goals:
“I’m incredibly excited about the Cape Epic. I’ve followed this race for many years, but the timing never worked out for me before. In 2026 it finally does. It’s one of the three major highlights of my season – and a race I’m consciously focusing on.”

Keller attaches great importance to the race and has aligned a significant part of her season preparation around it. With Candice Lill, she will be racing alongside an athlete who knows the event extremely well: in eight participations, Lill has finished second five times.

Experience meets world-class performance

The partnership between the two riders is also supported by shared equipment: from the 2026 season onwards, Candice Lill will also compete on Thömus bikes within her own team structure. The combination of Keller’s world-class performances in the World Cup disciplines and Lill’s extensive Cape Epic experience promises a duo that combines sporting ambition with tactical maturity.

Focused preparation and valuable exchange

Currently, Keller is preparing for the season in South Africa and is using the opportunity to get to know her future teammate better off the race course:
“I know Candice from the World Cup. Now that I’m in South Africa for my preparation, we can exchange ideas more intensively. With her experience as a regular podium finisher at the Cape Epic, she can give me valuable insights for this very special race.”

Candice Lill is also highly motivated about the partnership: “After eight participations and five second places, winning the Cape Epic is right at the top of my list. I’m convinced that Alessandra and I have everything it takes together. At the same time, we know how demanding this week of racing is.”

A new challenge with a clear focus

With Alessandra Keller’s first participation and Candice Lill’s experience, one of the most promising duos for the 2026 Cape Epic is taking shape. The ambitions are clearly defined, the respect for the challenge is high – and the preparation is equally focused.

At the Swiss Cyclo-cross Championships in Schneisingen, Alessandra Keller made a perfect start to the new year. With an early attack, the Nidwalden rider from Team Thömus maxon quickly created a decisive gap and celebrated a dominant victory to secure her fourth national cyclo-cross title.

The Swiss Cyclo-cross Championships in Schneisingen delivered everything the discipline is known for. Cold temperatures and a technically as well as physically demanding snow-covered course challenged the riders on every level.

In the women’s race, a three-way battle between former champions Alessandra Keller and Jolanda Neff and defending champion Rebekka Estermann was widely anticipated. However, the expected duel never fully materialised. Keller launched the decisive attack already in the second lap and left her rivals behind. With more than a minute’s advantage, she rode confidently to victory and secured her fourth Swiss cyclo-cross championship title. Jolanda Neff took silver, while Rebekka Estermann claimed bronze.

Keller: Next stop South Africa

After the race, Keller was pleased with her performance:
“I’m very satisfied with how I rode. I felt good and rode clean technically. It was my first cyclo-cross race of the season, so I’m even happier to take home my fourth national title. Now the focus shifts to mountain biking – I’m already travelling to South Africa tonight for a training camp.”

Successful Youngstars

Further success came from the Thömus Akros Youngstars in the U23 category. Nicolas Halter claimed the national title, Chiara Mettier secured silver and Sven Sommer took bronze.

Results

After more than a year, Mathias Flückiger is back on top of the World Cup podium! In the fifth World Cup race of the season in Andorra, the Swiss champion takes his tenth World Cup victory overall. Alessandra Keller climbs to the second place on the podium and with her impressive performance ensures the second best career result at an XCO World Cup. With Lars Forster (6th), Luke Wiedmann (8th) and Vital Albin (10th), Thömus maxon achieved a fantastic team result.

Right from the start it was obvious that Mathias Flückiger was extremely motivated and self-confident going into the race. Already in the second lap he took the lead and extended his advantage lap by lap. Until, two laps before the end, the Frenchman Thomas Griot was able to make up more and more ground and got as close as ten seconds to Flückiger one lap before the end.

“Winning again feels great”.

Flückiger had to fight hard for victory: “My goal today was to go as hard as I could to the limit. I think I managed to do that. I am glad that I was able to handle it well when Griot put a lot of pressure on me. I just concentrated on myself”, Flückiger analysed totally exhausted at the finish and added: “A little more than a year ago I won my last World Cup race here in Andorra, in Short Track. After that I got Covid and what happened afterwards, everybody knows. It just feels good to be back, just to be able to race. Winning a World Cup is just great,” said Flückiger, letting his emotions run free.

Second best XCO World Cup result for Keller

In the women’s race, Alessandra Keller started well and was able to pull away from the leader Pauline Ferrand-Prévot before the race was halfway through. But then Mona Mitterwallner came from behind, who caught up with Alessandra Keller in the second-last session and ultimately left the woman from Nidwald no chance in the fight for victory. Although it was not enough for the second victory within 48 hours, Alessandra Keller was satisfied at the finish: “I am very proud to be first and second here in Andorra. Today I was close to winning, but at the end I was extremely cold and Mona was a bit stronger than me in the last two laps.” Second place was Alessandra Keller’s second best career result in an XCO World Cup.

All riders in the top 10

Not only the performances of Mathias Flückiger and Alessandra Keller were outstanding, but also the performance of the whole team Thömus maxon. Lars Forster worked his way up from a place outside the top 15 position by position and in the end missed the podium in sixth place by only six seconds. Vital Albin was very active and present in the chasing group behind Flückiger for a long time. Albin managed to keep up his pace over all seven laps and finished in a strong tenth place. Already in the morning, U23 rider Luke Wiedmann competed in his race and also finished in the top 10 in eighth place.

Team manager Ralph Näf was overwhelmed: “This is probably the best World Cup weekend in the team’s history. All five riders in the top 10 – madness!”

Results XCO Andorra

After an animated women’s race, a no less exciting men’s race took place. While Alessandra Keller was able to take a victory, the race was half a lap too long for Mathias Flückiger to make it onto the podium.

Alessandra Keller rode at the top of the field in the high altitude of Andorra from the beginning and controlled the events. She got rid of most of her opponents on the home straight of the second last lap. Only Evie Richards from Great Britain was able to follow the dry attack of the rider from Nidwalden and finished second behind the brilliant Thömus maxon rider. The young Dutchwoman, Puck Pieterse secured third place. At the finish, Keller admitted that all the pieces of the puzzle had fitted today. “Every weekend you have two chances and if you can already win on Friday, then everything is actually already perfect.” With this victory, she took the lead in the overall XCC standings.

Flückiger’s efforts not fully rewarded

In the men’s race, two riders from Thömus maxon were on the front row of the grid. While Lars Forster was not able to compete for the top positions until the end, Mathias Flückiger was one of the animators of the XCC race in Andorra. Several times he tried to distance himself from the competition with short attacks. In the end, he had to pay tribute to his efforts and let his competitors go in the second half of the last lap. Nevertheless, he was able to secure a good fifth place. The race was won by Schwarzbauer (DE), ahead of Schurter and Sarrou (FR). The other riders from Thömus maxon placed eleventh (Forster) and 23rd (Albin).

Wiedmann already in action on Thursday

As always, the short track races of the U23 categories already took place on Thursday. Luke Wiedmann was able to place himself in a solid fourth place.

Results XCC Andorra

The Swiss Cross Country Championships in Crans Montana (VS) turned into a great celebration for Thömus Maxon. Gold for Alessandra Keller and Mathias Flückiger, who successfully defended their titles from the previous year. With silver for Lars Forster and bronze for Vital Albin, all three medals in the Elite Men’s category went to Thömus Maxon. With U23 rider Luke Wiedmann also finishing third and making it onto the podium, Thömus Maxon achieved the maximum of five medals.

In the women’s race, Alessandra Keller left no doubt throughout the race about who would wear the red jersey with the white cross for the next 365 days. The rider from Nidwalden took the lead already in the first lap and defended her title from the previous year convincingly. After winning gold in the Short Track on Friday, Keller is now a double Swiss champion.

Keller’s dominance and control

“This title means a lot to me today. We are a Swiss team, embodying absolute Swissness, and now I can start races with the Swiss cross on my chest all over the world. It was a perfect day for me because thanks to my substantial lead, I could control the race well, manage the risk, and even save energy in the last two laps in preparation for the upcoming competitions with the home World Cup in Lenzerheide,” the Swiss champion expressed her joy.

Mathias Flückiger also lived up to his role as the favorite. Already after the starting lap, he had a 15-second lead, which he continuously expanded. Behind him, Lars Forster and Vital Albin also showed that they are in excellent form. While Flückiger won with a lead of around two and a half minutes, Forster and Albin secured the silver and bronze medals.

“This jersey simply belongs to me,”

said Flückiger, who clinched his third consecutive title and fourth overall. A very important victory, as he said at the finish: “It means a lot to me that I was able to defend this title today. I love this jersey, it simply belongs to me. Although I didn’t feel really good at the beginning of the race, I was able to deliver a great race afterward and maintain my rhythm. I had a lot of fun on the new course in Crans Montana today and I am looking forward to competing in a World Cup here in 2024 and the World Championships in 2025.”

Medals for Forster, Albin, and Wiedmann too

Thanks to the extremely strong performances of Lars Forster and Vital Albin, Thömus Maxon even achieved a clean sweep in the Elite Men’s race! In addition, Luke Wiedmann fought his way to a bronze medal in a close U23 race.

Team manager Ralph Näf expressed his joy, saying, “It’s never easy to go into a race as the favorites and win in such a dominant manner. The fact that the entire team delivered such an impressive performance makes me proud. We are ready and looking forward to the World Cup in Lenzerheide next weekend.”

Results of the Swiss Cross Country Championships in Crans Montana.

The two-time European MTB champion Lars Forster joins the team Thömus maxon. Forster will make his debut in the red colors of the Swiss mountain bike team already on 2. January 2023, at the final of the Swiss Cyclocross Cup in Meilen. Thömus maxon also presents ASSOS, a new clothing partner.

Team Thömus maxon enters the 2023 season even stronger and even more broadly positioned. With the signing of 29-year-old Lars Forster, team boss Ralph Näf’s squad will be competing with three riders in the elite men’s category for the first time. Mathias Flückiger and Vital Albin will have a third strong man at their side: “We are very pleased to have signed Lars Forster. Despite his two European Championship titles, his World Cup victory in Snowshoe in 2019 and other international victories, Lars still has great untapped potential. In addition, he also fits very well into the team on a personal level,” says Ralph Näf, explaining the reasons for signing Lars Forster.

Forster: “The decisive factor was trust”.

Lars Forster, on the other hand, is very much looking forward to the new collaboration with Thömus maxon: “The decisive factor for me was that Ralph and the team have placed their trust in me and believe in me. That gives me great confidence. What’s more, Thömus maxon has everything it takes to be successful: a professional environment, a super team spirit and great equipment.”

The goals for Thömus maxon are clear, as Ralph Näf looks ahead: “We want to win World Cup races, national and international titles this season and be one of the world’s best mountain bike teams!” These objectives also match those of Forster. The newcomer wants to be in top shape already at the start of the season and the first World Cups. Forster’s biggest goal for the season is the World Championships in August in Glasgow, Scotland, the same place where he won his first European title in 2018.

ASSOS new clothing partner

There is also a new addition to report in the area of partners. The team is now dressed by the traditional Swiss brand ASSOS. This makes Thömus maxon even more “Swiss”. The motivation is extremely high to ride into the international spotlight with the high quality ASSOS products. The new jersey is still based on the color red from the main sponsor Thömus and convinces with its simple, classic and yet very eye-catching design.

Cross-country cycling as the start of the season

As in previous years, the season will be launched with two cross-country cycling events. Alessandra Keller, Vital Albin, Luke Wiedmann and Lars Forster will perform on Monday, 2. January 2023, at the Radquer Meilen. This is also the final of the Swiss Cyclocross Cup. Barely two weeks later, the Swiss Championships in Mettmenstetten (January 15) are on the agenda. After that, the focus will be on preparing for the MTB season.

Lars Forster in a nutshell:

Date of birth: 1. August 1993

Height/weight: 177 cm, 68 kg

Greatest achievements:

European champion 2018 and 2021

World Cup victory Snowshoe (USA) 2019

Cape Epic overall victory 2019

Swiss champion cyclo-cross 2016, 2018, 2020

Alessandra Keller from Nidwalden and the Swiss mountain bike team Thömus maxon have extended their cooperation for another two years, until 2024. This means that the double overall World Cup winner, Swiss champion and current world number 1 will be entering her eighth season in the team structure of the current Thömus maxon team next season.

The collaboration between Alessandra Keller and Ralph Näf began in 2016. After three difficult years marked by injuries, the absolute breakthrough to the top of the world followed this season. This is precisely why the 26-year-old Keller has decided to continue wearing the color red from Thömus maxon: “For me, consistency was the deciding factor. The consistency of working with a team and people who know exactly what I need. The team represents values and a philosophy that suit me. We have developed and professionalized a lot together in recent years, and I feel very comfortable at Thömus maxon,” says Alessandra Keller, summarizing her reasons for extending her contract.

Team owner Ralph Näf is also pleased that the shared history will continue to be written: “I am very happy about this contract extension. Alessandra is a very important person for our team, both as an athlete and as a person. For us as a pure Swiss team, with Swiss sponsors and partners, Swiss athletes, Swiss staff members, it’s great that we can attack next season strengthened in the international mountain bike circus.” The objectives for Alessandra Keller and her team are clear: “I want to continue to establish myself among the absolute world leaders and thus also win international titles.”

For Alessandra Keller, the current season is not over yet. Next Sunday she will compete in the final race of the Proffix Swiss Bike Cup in Gstaad. After that, the three-day road tour Tour de Romandie Féminin, from 7. to 9. October, on the program.

At the World Cup final in Val di Sole (Ita) Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) sensationally secures the victory in the overall MTB World Cup ranking with a sixth place! This means that the 26-year-old from Nidwalden has won the double together with the discipline ranking in short track, which she had already won on Friday! Keller is only the third Swiss woman to win the overall World Cup, along with Barbara Blatter and Jolanda Neff. In the men’s race, Vital Albin achieved another brilliant result at the end of the season with 9th place!

Interview with Alessandra Keller on SRF

Results XCO World Cup Val di Sole (Ita)