The Thömus maxon Swiss Mountain Bike Racing Team delivered an outstanding performance at the Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race. Mathias Flückiger claimed victory ahead of teammate Lars Forster, while Alessandra Keller marked her XCO comeback with an impressive second place. With Vital Albin finishing seventh, the team once again underlined its remarkable depth and strength.
The traditional Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race course demanded everything from the riders, with long climbs, technical sections and dusty conditions. Despite the selective nature of the parcours, the race remained highly tactical for long stretches.
Flückiger seals victory with a decisive late attack
The three Thömus maxon riders controlled the race from the front over large parts of the course. It was only on the final climb of the last lap that Mathias Flückiger launched the decisive move. He opened a small gap on the long descent and went on to take the win solo.
“I had a very good day and felt strong from the start. I was surprised that the race remained so tactical. That makes me even happier that I was able to make the decisive attack on the final climb.”
Forster takes his chance, Albin finishes inside the top 10
Behind Flückiger, an exciting battle unfolded for the remaining podium places. After Vital Albin made a small mistake on the final descent, the door opened for Lars Forster to move into second place. The rider from Eastern Switzerland seized the opportunity and held off Denmark’s Fabio Püntener in the sprint.
Despite the mishap, Albin completed the race in a strong seventh place.
Keller impresses on her XCO return
In the women’s race, Alessandra Keller made an impressive return to Olympic cross-country following her break after winning the Absa Cape Epic. With second place, the rider from Nidwalden delivered a highly convincing performance in the XCO season opener. Austria’s Laura Stigger took the win, while Germany’s Nina Graf finished third. The strong result in South Tyrol confirms the excellent early-season form of the entire team and provides another promising sign ahead of the upcoming World Cup races.