Swiss Road National
I made a last-minute decision to line up for the Swiss National Road Race Championship. It was a late call, registering right on the spot on race day, but stepping onto that start line felt like my true mental kick-off for the 2026 season.
Racing from the Front
The strategy was to be aggressive early on. We forced the pace after 3 of the 9 laps and quickly formed a strong breakaway containing some of the best World Tour riders in the country and two of my really good friends from my club (The Vélo Club Martigny): Valentin Darbellay and Arnaud Tissières. It was quite a surprise for the three of us (more than teammates, lifetime friends!) to be up there, and you can easily imagine that the commitment was great between us! I spent the vast majority of the day driving the pace at the front of the race. Racing at the front in the national championship gave me a massive confidence boost and confirmed that my physical form is improving in the right direction!
The Heat and The Team Behind the Athlete
The weather conditions were brutal, with an extreme heatwave pushing everyone to their limits. Operating as an independent rider in these conditions requires solid logistics, and this is where my personal setup truly shined. My parents and my fan club managed the feed zones perfectly, making sure I had crucial ice bags and fresh bottles exactly when I needed them. It is moments like this that highlight the strength of the independent model and the incredible, dedicated team I have behind me to perform at the highest level.
The Takeaway
After animating the race all day and covering the key attacks in the finale, I completely pushed myself over the limit for an instant; one second I felt great, and the very next I was in the red zone. I was able to recover from my high zone, kept pushing through to the end, and managed to cross the finish line in a decent 8th place.
While a top-10 finish is not a bad result, it doesn't even tell the whole story. I am leaving this championship with a lot of optimism. Riding at the front against the best in the country proves that the engine is starting again after some complicated weeks. This performance allows me to look forward and prepare for my upcoming international objectives with complete serenity.
What’s next?
After switching from my mountain bike to my road bike, I will jump back on the gravel bike in a few days to line up at the Hegau Gravel Festival in Germany on July 5th, which is part of the UCI Gravel World Series. It will be a great opportunity to race hard, and once again close to home!