Keller and Flückiger win the ÖKK Bike Revolution in Gruyère
In changeable conditions, Alessandra Keller secured a comfortable victory in the in Gruyère. With this victory, she is also the early winner of the annual ranking in the race series. Mathias Flückiger wins the men’s race by a large margin. Lars Forster finished a solid fourth.
In the women’s race, Alessandra Keller started as the clear favourite to win the day. She pulled away from her opponents on the first lap and clearly distanced her rivals right from the start. The only suspense came when Keller was suddenly caught on camera standing in the tech zone. However, her victory was never ‘on the line’ and Alessandra Keller secured the ÖKK Bike Revolution 2024 annual classification with just one race to go – for the third time in a row! Ramona Forchini took second place, while Nicole Koller completed the podium.
Keller takes the annual ranking for the third time in a row
In the men’s race, the experienced team riders Forster and Flückiger were at the start. As in the women’s race, the field of riders only stayed together for a short time. Due to the now damp conditions, the interesting course, which led around the medieval town of Gruyère, proved to be very selective. Mathias Flückiger and Azzaro, the French rider who finished fifth in the world championships, pulled away from the rest of the riders. Flückiger got rid of the French man on the third-to-last lap with a powerful attack. In the end, he rode safely to a well-deserved victory. Azzaro and Marcel Guerrini followed in second and third place. Lars Forster finished in a solid fourth place.
Flückiger strong, Forster solid
Team boss Ralph Näf commented after the finish: ‘It was a successful weekend for us. We made a scheduled stop for Alessandra and fitted the Schwalbe Racing Ray with the soft rubber compound. It was important for us that she could stay safe on the road in the changing track conditions. And I’m also very happy for Mathias, because a victory in this competition could not have been expected two weeks after his appendectomy.’ Forster showed a good race. And next week, the final race of the ÖKK Bike Revolution in Huttwil is still on the programme. The team wanted to put the finishing touches to the final World Cup races overseas, Näf added at the end.
Vital Albin and Luke Wiedmann were both absent from the start due to illness.