It might be spring and the 2019/20 cyclocross season might be months away, but cyclocross was in season in the city over the weekend in Switzerland.
As we mentioned in our preview, Saturday’s Urban Cyclocross Zürich is one of the events put on by Switzerland’s EKZ Cross Tour that is helping the sport grow in the country.
Saturday’s race traded the fields of Flanders for Josefwiese park in Zürich, and it traded Toyo Tires for a fountain, beach volleyball court, van and concrete city stairs.
Also unique to Urban Cyclocross was the eliminator format, with riders going through heats around the 1.4km course, whittling the fields down to final groups of six riders.
The setting for Urban Cyclocross was decidedly … urban. 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich, Switzerland. © Steffen Müssiggang / radsportphoto.net
Both the women and men went through four rounds of racing—starting with a qualification heat and then three elimination heats—before getting to the final race of six.
Basically like March Madness, but for bikes.
For a closer look at what the race looked like, see this gallery from the EKZ Cross Tour.
Women’s Results
The final six women were: Ellen Van Loy (Telenet Fidea Lions), Nicole Koller (Möbel Märki Pro Team), Noemi Rüegg (Akros – Thömus Devo), Vera Adrian (RE/MAX Cycling Team), Tina Züger (Tower Sports – VC Eschenbach) and Zina Bahourmi (RSC Aaretal Münsingen).
Van Loy took the win in the championship.
Ellen Van Loy took the Women’s win. 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich, Switzerland. © Steffen Müssiggang / radsportphoto.net
Semifinal and final results are below.
Women's Semifinal Results: 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich
| Group 1 | ||||
| 1 | FF | VAN LOY Ellen (BEL) | Telenet Fidea lions | 3:32,19 |
| 2 | FF | ZÜGER Tina | Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach | 3:34,54 |
| 3 | FF | BAHOURMI Zina | RSC Aaretal Münsingen | 3:38,41 |
| 4 | KÜDERLE Nina (GER) | crossladen.fidlock.cyclingteam | 3:40,27 | |
| 5 | SCHADOW Uta | Velo Legi | 4:48,31 | |
| 6 | HUG Cornelia | SCOTT CH | 0:00,91 | |
| Group 2 | ||||
| 1 | FF | ADRIAN Vera | RE/MAX Cycling Team | 3:33,67 |
| 2 | FF | RÜEGG Noemi | Akros- Thömus Devo | 3:34,16 |
| 3 | FF | KOLLER Nicole | Möbel Märki Pro Team | 3:34,20 |
| 4 | BRANDAU Elisabeth (GER) | Radon- EBE- Racing Team | 3:35,33 | |
| 5 | STRAPPAZZON Marine (FRA) | CM Aubervilliers | 3:54,94 | |
| 6 | GYARMATI-SZABO Rozsa (HUN) | Veloblitz | 5:05,65 | |
Women's Finals Results; 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich
| Place | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VAN LOY Ellen (BEL) | Telenet Fidea lions | 6:54,07 |
| 2 | KOLLER Nicole | Möbel Märki Pro Team | 7:02,07 |
| 3 | RÜEGG Noemi | Akros- Thömus Devo | 7:06,83 |
| 4 | ADRIAN Vera | RE/MAX Cycling Team | 7:28,56 |
| 5 | ZÜGER Tina | Tower Sports - VC Eschenbach | 7:31,70 |
| 6 | BAHOURMI Zina | RSC Aaretal Münsingen | 7:45,56 |
Men’s Results
The final six men were: Marcel Wildhaber (Velo Wildhaber), Simon Zahner (Team EKZ), Sascha Weber (Easton Cycling Team), Timon Rüegg (Swiss Racing Academy), Severin Sägesser (Focus.E.Floccari Cyclocross Team) and Steve Chainel (Team Chazal Canyon).
Wildhaber got the win, narrowly edging out Zahner.
Marcel Wildhaber narrowly won for the Men. 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich, Switzerland. © Steffen Müssiggang / radsportphoto.net
Semifinal and final results are below.
Men's Semifinal Results: 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich
| Group 1 | ||||
| 1 | FM | WEBER Sascha (GER) | Easton cycling team | 3:02,83 |
| 2 | FM | RÜEGG Timon | Swiss Racing Academy | 3:05,26 |
| 3 | FM | ZAHNER Simon | Team EKZ | 3:05,81 |
| 4 | SAMPARISI Nicolas (ITA) | KTM DAMA ALCHEMIST | 3:08,16 | |
| 5 | VAN DER MEER Gosse (NED) | Bombtrack Bicycles p/b Hunt wheels | 3:08,49 | |
| 6 | SAMPARISI Lorenzo (ITA) | KTM DAMA ALCHEMIST | 4:42,14 | |
| Group 2 | ||||
| 1 | FM | WILDHABER Marcel | Velo Wildhaber | 3:02,89 |
| 2 | FM | CHAINEL Steve (FRA) | Team CHAZAL CANYON | 3:03,34 |
| 3 | FM | SÄGESSER Severin | Focus E.Floccari Cyclocross Team | 3:03,75 |
| 4 | STEHLI Felix | Team Akros-Thömus | 3:04,83 | |
| 5 | HUMBERT Valentin (FRA) | S1NEO TEAM CYCLING CONNECT | 3:13,65 | |
| 6 | BÜSSER Silvio | GS Russi | 3:21,57 | |
Men's Finals Results: 2019 Urban Cyclocross Zürich
| Place | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WILDHABER Marcel | Velo Wildhaber | 5:50,25 |
| 2 | ZAHNER Simon | Team EKZ | 5:50,55 |
| 3 | WEBER Sascha (GER) | Easton cycling team | 5:59,62 |
| 4 | RÜEGG Timon | Swiss Racing Academy | 5:59,99 |
| 5 | SÄGESSER Severin | Focus E.Floccari Cyclocross Team | 6:04,49 |
| 6 | CHAINEL Steve (FRA) | Team CHAZAL CANYON | 6:19,46 |
