Source from Frischi

Florian Vogel, heading for 2nd place on his Scott Addict CX RC.

One gold and two silvers is the capture at the Swiss cyclo-cross nationals in Rennaz. This shows SCOTT-Swisspower is not only a mountain bike team; it’s also the number one team in the Swiss cyclo- cross scene.
After winning 9 races in a row, Andri Frischknecht did not play around too long to win the national title in the under 17 category. It was a straight start- to finish victory; even tough he crashed his head into a tree while training on the course the day before. Besides the national champion jersey and the gold medal he also gets a new helmet now… Our junior rider Roger Walder missed the medals finishing fourth.
Matthias Rupp showed a superb race. Unfortunately he flatted in the opening lap, which cost him some time. With a lot of willpower he made it back into the medals finishing only 12 seconds behind new U23 champion Arnaud Grand. Main favorite Matthias Flückiger placed right behind Matthias in third.

Matthias Rupp.

The most exciting race we saw in the elite category. On an icy, snow covered course the mountain bikers Ralph Näf, Martin Gujan, Lukas Flückiger and Florian Vogel saw a chance of competing main favorite Christian Heule for the title. Heule was Swiss champion for four years in a row and internationally the strongest rider by far. The SCOTT- Swisspower teammates Florian Vogel and Marcel Wildhaber tried to snip Heule with a fast start. Also Lukas Flückiger tried hard to get away early. But Heule had everything under control. Even a crash that cost him 15 seconds he closed in less than a lap. It was the trio of Heule, Flückiger and Vogel that set the pace. The next trio of Näf, Gujan and Wildhaber was already going for fourth place only.

It was a flat tire that took Heules chances for the title. The last three laps was a tight battle between Flückiger and Vogel. The very technical course changed the race very often. Florian always on the attack looked like he could win it. But it was Lukas with the better end to win his first national title in the elite category. Even tighter was the finish for fourth. Elbows to elbows Gujan crash in the very last corner into the fence and almost took Näf down as well. Wildhaber barely made it around Gujan, but clicked out of the pedal. At the line it was Näf to take 4th place and Wildhaber 5th.

This nationals showed how attractive cyclo-cross can be. Tough, it was the last race for most of the team riders. Only Matthias Rupp (U23) and Marcel Wildhaber (elite) will represent our colors at the cyclo cross-world championship in Tabor, Czech Republic on January 31st. The other will prepare for the upcoming mountain bike season 2010.

Elite
1. Lukas Flückiger
2. Florian Vogel, +0.10
3. Christian Heule, +0.49
4. Ralph Näf, +1.25
5. Marcel Wildhaber, +1.25
6. Martin Gujan, +1.39
7. Pirmin Lang, +1.45
8. René Lang, +3.26
9. Joris Boillat, +3.29
10. Christof Bischof, +3.48

U23
1. Arnaud Grand
2. Matthias Rupp, +0.12
3. Mathias Flückiger, +0.27
4. Valentin Scherz, +1.33
5. Mathias Allenspach, +1.55

Junoirs
1. Lars Forster
2. Lukas Müller, +0.32
3. Fabian Lienhard, +0.39

U17
1. Andri Firschknecht
2. Dominic Zumstein, +0.50
3. Dominic Grab, +1.


Andri Frischknecht, new U17 Swiss Champion!