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The 2015 XC season finished with Schurter winning the Worldcup and the World Championships in front of eternal rival Julien Absalon, and that’s how 2016 begins too: the Swiss versus the French, today at Monte Tamaro, Switzerland, during the first stop of the Swiss Bike Cup 2016.
Before getting into the men’s race report, note how strong Jolanda Neff is right now: she crossed the finish line nearly 4 minutes ahead of the second. Full results here.
You could feel the tension in the air. So many top 20 UCI riders, waiting to see how good their winter training was compared to the competitors.
![F75R7737](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7737.jpg)
![F75R7738](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7738.jpg)
![F75R7739](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7739.jpg)
![F75R7740](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7740.jpg)
![Su parte come se la gara fosse uno sprint di 100m, e non 7 giri per un totale di 31 km.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7743.jpg)
![Schurter si mette subito in testa al gruppo.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7748.jpg)
![Absalon segue. Notare la sella abbassata.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7754.jpg)
![Fontana in discesa faceva paura!](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7769.jpg)
![Per i primi 3 giri Schurter e il compagno Van Der Hejijden di squadra sono stati rispettivamente al primo e al secondo posto. Notare il passaggio...](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7779.jpg)
![Fontana recupera posizioni dopo una partenza in cui si è trovato in mezzo al gruppo, piuttosto bloccato.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7794.jpg)
![Dopo quella discesa impegnativa, seguiva una salita altrettanto impegnativa. Non tutti ce la facevano a farla in sella. Il video qui sotto spiega bene perché.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7807.jpg)
![L'inseguimento continua.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7828.jpg)
![Fontana in quarta posizione, solitario.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7836.jpg)
![Fine delle velleità da podio per Flo Vogel: gomma posteriore bucata, tech zone molto lontana da questo punto del tracciato.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7840.jpg)
Another video of two key spots of the track. Notice the speed Schurter drops in!
![Sembra che Fontana si trovi molto a suo agio sulla nuova Scalpel che vi abbiamo fatto vedere ieri.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7870.jpg)
![Il punto tecnico dove in tanti sono caduti ieri (e oggi).](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7850.jpg)
![Alla fine dei 7 giri Schurter è riuscito a staccare Absalon di circa 25 secondi, godendosi un arrivo in solitaria di fronte ai fan di casa.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7881.jpg)
![Il podio.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/F75R7924.jpg)
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