Gravel Swiss Championships: Historic title for Lars Forster
Team Thömus maxon delivered a historic victory at the inaugural national championships in the gravel discipline! On Saturday, Lars Forster won the first-ever Swiss Gravel Championship in a five-rider sprint. Vital Albin and Monique Halter narrowly missed the podium at the Gravel Festival Bern, finishing fourth.
Forster makes Swiss cycling history. In a thrilling race at the first Swiss Gravel Championships, the mountain bike specialist prevailed in a sprint finish from a five-rider leading group after 60 kilometers and more than 1,000 meters of elevation gain, securing the first Swiss champion’s jersey in this discipline. With Vital Albin and Monique Halter—who both achieved an outstanding fourth-place finish—the team underscored its strength at the inaugural Gravel Championships as well.
Lars Forster sprints to a historic title
The first Swiss Gravel Championship demanded everything from the athletes on the challenging course, which offerd numerous opportunities for attacks and tactical maneuvers.
In the men’s race, an intense battle unfolded at the front. Lars Forster remained unfazed by the numerous attacks, stayed with the decisive group, and conserved his energy for the final stretch. In the final sprint at the vonRoll site, the Team Thömus maxon rider showcased his strength and confidently prevailed over his competitors. Filippo Colombo took second place, and Fabio Püntener rounded out the podium.
For Forster, this victory is more than just another title in his career. He goes down in history as the first Swiss Gravel Champion and will be the first to wear the Swiss champion’s jersey in this discipline next season. “I haven’t been this nervous before a race in a long time. This historic victory means the world to me,” Forster said after the race. He was also particularly pleased with the trust his team placed in him: “The team put their faith in me and believed in me.”
Vital Albin just misses the podium
Vital Albin also delivered a strong performance at this historic premiere. Albin held his own in the high-caliber men’s field and finished in fourth place. He thus narrowly missed the podium and rounded out the team’s outstanding result in a race marked by a fast pace and numerous attacks.
Monique Halter also finishes fourth
The Team Thömus maxon also celebrated a top result in the women’s race: Monique Halter finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal. In a highly competitive field where road, mountain bike, and gravel specialists went head-to-head, she held her own for a long time in the leading group of top riders. It wasn’t until the final climb that she had to let the three strongest riders pull away. The victory went to Lea Huber (also riding a Thömus bike), who broke away from her last rival, Nicole Koller, with a late attack. Behind Koller, Elena Hartmann secured third place.