Following yesterday’s prologue in Verbier, the first stage of the PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC race took place today. This first stage to Leukerbad had an elevation gain of 3100 m and a distance of 95 km, making it the longest stage in the entire race. Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr of the CENTURION VAUDE team topped today’s rankings. The winners in the women’s category were Annika Langvad and Ariane Kleinhans of the Specialized RECM team. All information in this press release:
Completing the first stage of the six-day PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC mountain bike race was no easy feat: the athletes had to endure 95 km from Verbier in French-speaking Switzerland to Leukerbad in the German-speaking part of the Valais. This thermal spa and wellness resort is set against an impressive backdrop – a valley basin of spectacular, vertical cliffs underneath the Daubenhorn.
SWISS EPIC category: 95 km in 4 h, 18 min
The battle for the top spot in the SWISS EPIC Men’s category that began yesterday between the top teams continued today throughout this long stage. With 4h 18min Team CENTURION VAUDE with Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr took the win, just 8 seconds in front of Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek of the Topeak Ergon Racing Team. That provided an exciting race over the entire 95 kilometer track. In third place with 4h 23min were Lukas Buchli and Mathias Flückiger of Team BiXS STÖCKLI. The favourite teams were again in a class of their own today.
In the SWISS EPIC Women’s category the favourites Annika Langvad and Ariane Kleinhans of Team Specialized RECM took the win today with 5h 20min, only 46 Seconds ahead of Adelheid Morath and Sally Bigham of the Topeak Ergon Racing Team. The battle between the women this year promises to be an exciting one too. In third place was the Rent a Plant – Habitat team of Hielke Elferink and Anne Terpstra, coming in 36 minutes later.
In the Mixed category the team of Imogen Smith and Mike Blewitt from Australia took the podium with 5h 46min, and in the Masters category Dani Schnider and Oliver Imfeld came in way ahead of the field again with 5h 05min.
SWISS EPIC FLOW: 4450-metre flowing descent
The teams competing in the SWISS EPIC FLOW race format climbed three of the longest ascents by shuttle bus, leaving them with a distance of 65 km, an uphill elevation gain of 1350 m, and a descent of 4450 m. In the Men’s category Sönke Wegner and Daniel Eiermann from world of mtb won with a time of 2h 23min, 25 minutes ahead of Valentin Ritz and Rudolf Biedermann.
In the Mixed category Balz Weber and Anita Gehrig from Team Ride Flow Trail finished first with 2h 57 min. The fastest women’s team with 3h 24min was SCOTT’s Chicken Club of Sarah Merminod and Daniela Michel.
Tomorrow, the athletes face the second stage of the PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC race, which consists of a round trip starting and finishing in Leukerbad, with a total distance of 63 km and an elevation gain of 3000 m.
Mpre information: swissepic.com
Words & Photos: PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC
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