Ralph Näf scores a double at the MTB Bundesliga on LOOK QUARTZ!

One week before the first race of this year¹s mountainbike Worldcup, the «Multivan Merida Biking Team» showed its full strength. Against a highly competitive field of starters, Ralph Näf won both Saturday¹s short race and Sunday¹s main event at Münsingen¹s «MTB Bundesliga» race. With José Hermida (in 4th), Moritz Milatz (in 5th) and Rudi van Houts (in 7th) also finishing in the top 10, Multivan-Merida¹s distinctive green was the dominating colour of the race. Which is a good sign for the upcoming Worldcup race at England¹s Dalby Forest.

Münsingen¹s race hardly could have been any more exciting. The riders of the Multivan-Merida team were battling for positions with the likes of Julien Absalon and Inaki Lejaretta. In the end, it was up to Ralph Näf to give another fine sample of his ability to read a race and choose the right tactics, charging into the race¹s lead shortly before the finish line. Näf had been leading the race for quite a while before, keeping his competitors under control. «Of course, such a victory is good for my self confidence. I don¹t think there¹s a lot I have to change for Dalby Forest», Näf was looking ahead to next week optimistically.

Hermida was also satisfied with the way the race went: «I was forced to dismount a few times due to some shifting problems, but I easily got back to the leading group after that, so my form is right on target for next weekend». Finishing in 5th, Moritz Milatz was surprised about how well he was in shape: «I knew that I was still lacking a bit, so I tried to speed up the race and help my team mates that way. I would have never expected to finish in fifth today», the Freiburg native commented.

Results MTB-Bundesliga Münsingen:
1. Ralph Näf (SUI) 1.40.52 +0.00
2. Inaki Lejarreta (ESP) 1.40.54 +0.02
3. Julien Absalon (FRA) 1.40.52 +0.00
4. José Hermida (ESP) 1.40.58 +0.06
5. Moritz Milatz (GER) 1.41.20 +0.28