Keller takes second silver – unlucky Flückiger
A successful conclusion to the Mountain Bike European Championships for Thömus maxon in Monte Tamaro: Alessandra Keller claimed her second silver medal in three days in the Cross-country race. Mathias Flückiger narrowly missed out on a medal after suffering a puncture and finished fourth, while Vital Albin completed a strong team performance in 11th place.
Having won silver in the Short Track, Alessandra Keller once again confirmed her excellent form in the Olympic Cross-country race. The reigning World Champion made a controlled start before quickly finding her rhythm and steadily working her way towards the front. She settled into second place early on and rode much of the race at her own pace, with clear gaps both ahead and behind.
Keller delighted with second European silver medal
Keller crossed the finish line to secure her second silver medal of these European Championships. Sina Frei (SUI) claimed the European title, while Jenny Rissveds (SWE) completed the podium in third place.
“Championship races in front of a home crowd are always something very special. The incredible support from the Swiss fans gave me an extra boost and helped me stay fully focused on my race. I’m proud to leave these championships with a second silver medal and a lot of confidence for the rest of the season,” said Keller after the race.
Flückiger denied by late puncture
Mathias Flückiger also delivered a performance worthy of the world’s best. After breathing issues had repeatedly hampered him earlier this season, the Swiss rider arrived in Monte Tamaro in excellent form. From the halfway point onwards, he was part of a four-man lead group and rode a tactically intelligent race, responding to every acceleration while conserving energy for the decisive moments.
His hopes of winning a medal were dashed by a rear-wheel puncture on the rocky course in the penultimate lap. Despite the setback, Flückiger fought back impressively to finish a hard-earned, albeit frustrating, fourth place.
“Overall, I’m very happy with my performance. Of course, fourth place hurts because a medal was within reach today. At the same time, I take away a very positive feeling and now look forward to the next training block and the World Championships, the main goal of my season,” said Flückiger.
The men’s European title went to Charlie Aldridge (GBR), ahead of Juri Zanotti (ITA) and Fabio Püntener (SUI).
Albin in a solid 11th place
Vital Albin completed the team’s strong overall result by finishing 11th. He produced a consistent race and narrowly missed out on a place in the top ten in a highly competitive field.
With two silver medals courtesy of Alessandra Keller, together with several other strong performances across both the elite and development teams, Thömus maxon can look back on a highly successful European Championships in Ticino. The team’s performances provide plenty of confidence heading into the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the final major objective of the season.