Berg-SM Junior: A winner with strong nerves 🎥

THOMANN'S THIRD STREAK In Oberhallau, there seemed to be a new winner in the Berg-SM Junior after Rico Thomann slipped up. But in the last run he turned up the pace again. Now the title is only a matter of form for him. The idyll of a mountain race, as shown in the two-minute video by Kevin Fluri of Twentyfourseven Media around [...]

Editorial - August 30, 2019

The idyll of a mountain race, as depicted in the two-minute video by Kevin Fluri of Twentyfourseven Media around the third championship round of the Berg-SM Junior in Oberhallau.

At the end is added up
The mountain juniors of the Swiss Race Academy from Seelisberg have never been so close together. After the first race run in Oberhallau, the top five were separated by only 1.33 seconds, led by Rico Thomann. In the second run, the SM leader was too late on the brakes at the "Brotlaube" and touched the earth wall at the exit, whereupon his Toyota GT86 needed cosmetic repairs.

Thomann dropped back to intermediate 5th place. However, all his competitors, now led by Gianluca Forcella, were also slower than in their first run. With three runs, the two best times of which were scored, nothing was therefore decided yet. The seven newcomers on the mountain promptly learned that the results are always added up at the end.

Rico Thomann rather unexpectedly celebrated the third victory in a row. Now the title is within reach (Photos: Peter Wyss).

First doubt, then win
The third fastest time went to Pascal Siegrist, but as in Reitnau, he was a few hundredths short of the winner in the final standings - who was once again Rico Thomann. After crossing the finish line, Thomann stood almost in disbelief by his car that had been lined up for the return and did not seem to be really happy about his latest success.

Rico Thomann: "I had difficulties to focus on driving again and to deliver a similarly good performance as in the first run. At first I didn't even know if I was going to race again and I thought the whole thing was over.

Beaten by fractions of a second
Meanwhile, the runner-up pondered his minimal deficit. He knew exactly where he had gotten it.

Pascal Siegrist: "I had too much wheelspin in the last run. Otherwise, I was basically satisfied. It would have been cool if it had been enough this time. In Reitnau it was three hundredths, here it is now nine. But I have to get over it and do better next time."

The top three from Oberhallau (from left): Pascal Siegrist, Rico Thomann and Gianluca Forcella.

The title is ready
He and his five other colleagues will get their last chance to win on September 15 in Les Paccots, where the mountain juniors will compete for the first time. Due to his points lead over Siegrist, Thomann only needs to finish to be celebrated as the third winner of the Swiss Junior Mountain Championship. Only if the man from Aargau wins for the first time and the carpenter from Winterthur drops out would the title still slip through his fingers.

Satisfied even without victory
In Anzère, where a third race run fell victim to the tight schedule due to rain, Gianluca Forcella was second. In Oberhallau, the 19-year-old from the Engadine led after two runs, only to slip to third place afterwards. Nevertheless, the youngest in the small field was by no means disappointed.

Gianluca Forcella: "Of course you want to win when you're in front. But I made a few small mistakes that added up. I couldn't really get to grips with this track anyway, so I'm actually satisfied to be on the podium for the second time after Reitnau."

After two race heats, Gianluca Forcella was in front with his assigned Toyota GT86. The youngest slipped to third place in the end.

Higher power density than in the previous year
Third in Reitnau and fourth in Anzère, Michael Müller missed the podium by just a tenth despite the fastest third running time. The Glarus native, who comes from a karting background, regretted not always being able to call up his performance. The same was true for Marco Grilli, who was third after the practice session and sensed morning air. Although he dispensed with drifting this time, he even had to settle for a disappointing sixth place.

Thanks to his fourth-best time in the first run, Sandro Müller advanced to fifth place. In the addition of the two faster run times, only 3.82 seconds separated the first from the sixth. The juniors were never this close in the first two years of this championship. Only Noah Suter, who had an accident in Anzère, was left behind in the rankings, although he also managed a time under 1'49.

With this year's performance density, anything is still possible in the final race on the fastest route ever for the mountain juniors from Châtel-St-Denis to Les Paccots. After all, every sport thrives on surprises.