Race Report | Day 4 of Perskindol Swiss Epic 2016
After yesterday’s Leukerbad circuit, the PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC mountain bike race moved on today. The third stage covered 88 kilometres from Leukerbad to Grächen with an elevation gain of 3,100 metres. Team BiXS STÖCKLI were the day’s winners once again with Lukas Buchli and Mathias Flückiger. However, the leader’s jersey has changed hands and will be worn by Team CENTURION VAUDE tomorrow. In the women’s event, Adelheid Morath and Sally Bigham, Topeak Ergon Racing Team, continue to build their lead.
The third stage of the six-day PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC mountain bike race covered 88 kilometres from Leukerbad to Grächen, with an elevation gain of 3,100 metres. The riders reached the finishing line at an altitude of over 1,600 metres in the picturesque and unspoilt Valais mountain village. The athletes started in Leukerbad in the rain and arrived in Grächen with a wind storm, before it started to rain there too. The unsure weather prediction caused the rerouting of the race course and didn’t go through the remote Nanz valley for safety reasons.
Buchli and Flückiger win again
The three favourite teams in the SWISS EPIC Men category changed spots today. Team BiXS Stöckli with Lukas Buchli and Mathias Flückiger took the win again today with a time of 4h 19min, but closely followed by Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr, Team CENTURION VAUDE, with 4h 22min, who were able to take the overall lead by one minute. The Topeak Ergon Racing Team of Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek crossed the line with 4h 24min taking third, and getting bumped down to third in the overall rankings too.
In the Women’s category Adleheid Morath and Sally Bigham of the Topeak Ergon Racing Team continue to build their lead, taking the win with 5h 21min, followed by Annika Langvad and Ariane Kleinhans, Team Specialized RECM, with 5h 26min.
Today in the Mixed category there was a lead change too. The British team of Melanie Alexander and Mark Spratt won today with 6h 01min and took the overall lead. In the Masters category Dani Schnider and Oliver Imfeld continue to pull away from the rest of the field.
In the SWISS EPIC FLOW format, Team world of mtb took the win and even with yesterday‘s time penalty still managed to get the overall lead back. In the Mixed category Team Ride Flow Trail won for the third time in the series, keeping their top position. Team Fusion World was again the fastest in the Women’s category.
Click here for a complete rundown of the ranking.
The fourth stage of PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC, which will take place tomorrow, is a circuit from Grächen to Grächen, covering a distance of 88 kilometres with an elevation gain of 3,300 metres. As a prominent special guest out of the cycling community, the former mountain bike professional Christoph Sauser will ride this stage exclusively. People are expected to start crossing the finish line around noon.
Text & Fotos: Swiss Epic
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.
