This year, the Jura Bike Marathon delivered its share of emotions on a gruelling 71-kilometre course with some 2,800 metres of elevation gain, punctuating the heart of the Vaud Jura with decisive moments. The circuit’s iconic obstacle, the climb — as dreaded as it is unforgiving — towards the Dent de Vaulion, peaking at 1,482 metres, once again sealed the fate of the race.
In the men’s race, the contest took on a fast and tactical character from the very start in Vallorbe. A trio made up of Tim Smeenge, Tristan Arioli and Jakob Hartmann quickly broke away from the peloton to set the pace at the front, all the way to the foot of the formidable climb towards the Dent de Vaulion. From the very first ramps, the gap widened: Smeenge appeared to have drawn less deeply on his reserves than his two breakaway companions. He took advantage of the flatter recovery sections to drop his rivals and never saw them again. The Dutchman, who had already finished runner-up in May at the highly competitive Riva del Garda marathon, managed his lead with composure over the final twelve kilometres of technical singletrack to win solo in Vallorbe.
Micha Klötzli from Tramelan Best Swiss Rider
Young French rider Arioli, 21, claimed second place 46 seconds back. Hartmann followed 90 seconds later, the German edging out Belgian Frans Claes — based in Switzerland — by a mere seven seconds to take the final podium spot. Micha Klötzli was the best Swiss representative, finishing sixth. Third the previous year, the Swiss rider had been aiming for the podium again, but quickly had to face reality: the pace set at the front was beyond his reach. “I stuck to my own rhythm,” he admitted. “I have to make do with this sixth place, as the level was higher than last year.” Co-favourite Martin Fanger, meanwhile, did not have the day he had hoped for: already weakened at the start by a cold, he also suffered a puncture on the descent, which definitively crushed his podium hopes. He eventually crossed the line in eighth position.
Anna Weinbeer: In a Class of Her Own
In the women’s race, it was a masterclass. World Championship runner-up and World Cup leader Anna Weinbeer set her own pace from the very first kilometres. Last year’s Bike Marathon Classics winner, she swept over the Jura summits, leaving the competition at a respectful distance. Her runner-up, Alessia Nay, crossed the line more than twenty minutes later, after a tight battle against French rider Margot Moschetti. The two riders fought it out over the final technical section, packed with surges and short climbs, all the way to a decisive sprint at the gates of Vallorbe, from which the Swiss rider emerged victorious.
