Swiss Epic 2020

The SWISS EPIC is a five-day mountain bike stage race held annually in the Graubünden region of Switzerland. Founded in 2014, this year sees the seventh edition, running from 18 to 22 August 2020. Professional and dedicated amateur athletes alike take on the challenge of conquering the Alps in teams of two, covering 320km and 12 250m of climbing. Riders visit three stage locations in Graubünden: Laax, Arosa and Davos, tackling world-famous trails, all surrounded by breathtaking Alpine scenery. The Swiss Epic is a full-service mountain bike stage race and includes accommodation, luggage transfer, race support, massage and tech support. As part of the Epic Series, it is an Absa Cape Epic Qualifier event, giving riders a change to gain an entry to the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

19. 8. 2020 Photos: 8

Schurter and Forster Win the Opening Stage of the 2020 Swiss Epic

Graubünden resident, Nino Schurter and his SCOTT-SRAM teammate Lars Forster rode to a dominant stage victory on the opening stage of the 2020 Swiss Epic. The 60-kilometre route, which started and finished in Laax, provided ample technical trails for the Swiss pair to exert their dominance on.

Results MEN: 2020 Swiss Epic | Stage 1

1. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (3:01:09)
2. Trek-Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (3:02:28 | +1:19)
3. Centurion Vaude: Daniel Geismayr & Ben Zwiehoff (3:02:34 | +1:25)
4. BULLS Youngsters: Martin Frey & Simon Schneller (3:08:19 | +7:10)
5. Future Cycling Northwave: Kristian Hynek & Martin Stošek (3:08:34 | +7:25)

Results WOMEN: 2020 Swiss Epic | Stage 1

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (3:48:57)
2. Swiss Cycling Team: Sina Frei & Nicole Koller (3:56:59 | +8:02)
3. jb Brunex Felt Factory Team: Nina Benz & Kim Ames (3:58:23 | +9:26)
4. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (3:58:36 | +9:39)
5. Centurion Vaude Radon: Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (4:01:59 | +13:02)

Hynek (CZE) & Stosek (CZE) claim first stage win - Langvad (DEN) & Batten (USA) extend overall lead

Stage 2 of the 2020 Swiss Epic was backloaded with climbing. Today’s route featured 2.600 metres of elevation gain, in the 75 kilometres which separate Laax from Arosa. The day’s beauty offset that challenge, however, as the teams raced along the edge of the Rhine Gorge, Switzerland’s answer to the Grand Canyon. Thereafter the Domleschg Valley and the climb of the Schanfigg valley to Tschiertschen continued to provide breath-taking views. A fast and exciting descent allowed for a white-knuckle run in to Arosa, from the highest point of the stage; Rot Tritt, a 2.007-metre peak just 5 kilometres from the finish.

Annika Langvad (DEN) and Haley Batten (USA) made it two from two on the stage 2 and extended their overall lead! Future Cycling Northwave’s Kristian Hynek (CZE) and Martin Stošek (CZE) claimed their first stage win while Nino Schurter (SUI) and Lars Forster (SUI) kept the lead in the general classification.

Results MEN I Stage 2:

1. Future Cycling Northwave: Kristian Hynek & Martin Stošek (3:17:03)
2. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (3:17:39 | +36)
3. Centurion Vaude: Daniel Geismayr & Ben Zwiehoff (3:17:47 | +44)
4. BULLS Heroes: Urs Huber & Simon Stiebjahn (3:19:49 | +2:46)
5. Trek-Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (3:21:52 | +4:49)

Results WOMAN I Stage 2:

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (4:11:17)
2. Centurion Vaude Radon: Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (4:13:38 | +2:21)
3. Maloja Pushbikers: Linda Indergand & Karla Stepanova (4:19:24 | +8:07 )
4. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (4:20:19 | +9:02)
5. jb BRUNEX Felt Factory Team 2: Sophie von Berswordt-Wallrabe & Jacqueline Schneebeli (4:21:53 | +10:36)

SCOTT-SRAM Give it Horns on Stage 3 of the Swiss Epic

The Hörnli Trail was among the many highlights of Stage 3 of the 2020 Swiss Epic. In a day packed with downhill singletracks, around Arosa, it was unsurprising that SCOTT-SRAM’s Nino Schurter and Lars Forster emerged victorious.

Results MEN I Stage 3:

1. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (2:22:49)
2. Trek Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (2:23:12 | +25)
3. Future Cycling Northwave: Kristian Hynek & Martin Stošek (2:26:52 | +4:05)
4. BMC Fischer: Casey South & Noah Blöchlinger (2:27:06 | +4:20)
5. BULLS Heroes: Urs Huber & Simon Stiebjahn (2:27:08 | +4:21)

Results WOMAN I Stage 3:

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (2:57:19)
2. jb BRUNEX Felt Factory Team 2: Sophie von Berswordt-Wallrabe & Jacqueline Schneebeli (3:05:21 | +8:02)
3. Centurion Vaude Radon : Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (3:07:40 | +10:22)
4. Maloja Pushbikers: Linda Indergand & Karla Stepanova (3:10:33 | +13:16)
5. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (3:11:12 | +13:56)

Schurter & Forster and Langvad & Batten also dominate Queen Stage

Stage 4 lead from Arosa to Davos – Europe’s highest town - and is the Queen Stage of the 2020 Swiss Epic. In total the stage featured 2.700 metres of climbing, but also an exhilarating 2.900 metres of descend. Leaving Arosa, the Hörnli Trail challenged the riders again! Thereafter it was epic climbs followed by scintillating descents all the way to Davos, via the Duranna Pass and Klosters, and the Flüela Trails. Another highlight was the Grüensee with its crystal-clear waters!

After four days of racing in Graubünden all eyes are on the overall standings before going into the penultimate Stage 5 of the race. SCOTT-SRAM’s Nino Schurter (SUI) and Lars Fortser (SUI) lead in front of Trek Pirelli 1’s Fabian Rabensteiner (ITA) and Samuele Porro (ITA) by 9:48min, with Future Cycling Northwave’s Kristian Hynel (CZE) and Martin Stosek (CZE) in third with 11:15min behind. In the women's race Specialized – Racing’s Annika Langvad (DEN) and Haley Batten (USA) are in a very comfortable lead of 32:32min up on Centurion-Vaude Radon’s Stefanie Dohrn (GER) and Elisabeth Brandau (GER).

Results MEN I Stage 4:

1. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (3:30:43)
2. Future Cycling Northwave: Kristian Hynek & Martin Stošek (3:31:06 | +23)
3. Trek Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (3:34:36 | +3:53)
4. TEXPA-SIMPLON: Andreas Seewald & Markus Kaufmann (3:35:49 | +5:06)
5. BULLS Youngsters: Martin Frey & Simon Schneller (3:36:21 | +5:38)

Results WOMEN I Stage 4:

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (4:20:01)
2. Centurion Vaude Radon: Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (4:26:49 |
+6:48)
3. jb Brunex Felt Factory: Nina Benz & Kim Ames (4:27:11 | +7:10)
4. Maloja Pushbikers: Linda Indergand & Karla Stepanova (4:30:43 | +10:42)
5. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (4:30:51 | +10:50)

SCOTT-SRAM Wrap-Up Swiss Epic Title in Style

Nino Schurter and Lars Forster wrapped up the 2020 Swiss Epic title in fine style. The SCOTT-SRAM combination had no need to win the final stage, in Davos, but they did so regardless; ensuring that they put an exclamation point on an emphatic victory.

2020 Swiss Epic Results MEN I Stage 5:

1. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (3:01:24)
2. Trek Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (3:02:08 | +44)
3. TEXPA-SIMPLON: Andreas Seewald & Markus Kaufmann (3:04:31 | +3:07)
4. BMC Fischer: Casey South & Noah Blöchlinger (3:06:03 | +4:39)
5. SCOTT Italy: Juri Ragnoli & Christian Cominelli (3:06:52 | +5:28)

General Classification after Stage 5:

1. SCOTT-SRAM: Nino Schurter & Lars Forster (15:13:44)
2. Trek-Pirelli 1: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (15:24:16 | +10:32)
3. Future Cycling Northwave: Kristian Hynek & Martin Stošek (15:30:30 | +16:46)
4. TEXPA-SIMPLON: Andreas Seewald & Markus Kaufmann (15:46:51 | +33:07)
5. BULLS Youngsters: Martin Frey & Simon Schneller (15:49:17 | +35:33)

2020 Swiss Epic Results WOMEN I Stage 5:

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (3:50:35)
2. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (3:52:38 | +2:03)
3. Centurion Vaude Radon: Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (3:56:22 | +5:47)
4. jb Brunex Felt Factory: Nina Benz & Kim Ames (4:05:59 | +5:50)
5. jb Brunex Felt Factory 2: Sophie von Berswordt-Wallrabe &
Jacqueline Schneebeli (4:05:59 | +15:24)

General Classification after Stage 5:

1. Specialized – Racing: Annika Langvad & Haley Batten (19:08:09)
2. Centurion Vaude Radon: Stefanie Dohrn & Elisabeth Brandau (19:46:28 | +38:19)
3. Andermatt Spur: Ariane Lüthi & Alice Pirard (19:53:36 | +45:27)
4. jb Brunex Felt Factory: Nina Benz & Kim Ames (20:04:17 | +56:08)
5. Maloja Pushbikers: Linda Indergand & Karla Stepanova (20:11:40 | +1:03:31)