Renault Cup: Beyeler seizes the opportunity
SURPRISE WINNER Not one of the favorites, but the previously rather inconspicuous Marc Beyeler won the last race of the Clio Classic Cup at the Ambri slalom. Champion Philipp Krebs was only there as a spectator, you have to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Marc Beyeler sensed this and seized it. Because the starting position before and after the [...]
You have to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Marc Beyeler sensed this and seized it. Because the starting position before and after the first race run at the Ambri slalom was completely different than usual.
The master looked on
Philipp Krebs did not have to compete in the final race. The double champion in the Cup and the Swiss Mountain Cup was only present as an observer. He prefers to invest the money he saves in a championship celebration, so everyone can enjoy it.
His friend René Schnidrig, who is always a force to be reckoned with, was absent from Ambri due to illness. So it was clear: victory in the last race of the season would be decided between five-time champion Thomas Zürcher in the Clio III and the designated runner-up Michael Schläpfer in the older Clio II. With two best times in practice, Zürcher was the clear favorite.
Festival of turners
Think again. Schläpfer spun at the first change of direction in practice and also performed a brilliant pirouette through the middle of gates 11 and 12 in the first race. Marcel Wälchli and Thomas Zürcher were already doomed by the still cold rear axle right after the start.
After the first time chase, Stephan Zbinden was in the lead ahead of Meverick Gerber, who took over from his cousin Patrick at the wheel of his Clio II, and Marc Beyeler. Sven Indermühle was surprisingly the second fastest, but unfortunately with a gate error.
Beyeler's correct train of thought
However, as only the better time counts in a slalom, this didn't mean anything. For those affected by scoring errors, this tugged at their nerves, as they now had to complete a clean second run in order to take home a trophy and score good points for the last time.
This was exactly what Marc Beyeler had in mind before he tackled the second run - and to his own surprise, he set the fastest time of the day. The Bernese driver has never finished better than third, most recently at the Reitnau hill climb.
Marc Beyeler: "I assumed that those with spins in the first run would take less risk afterwards. I did exactly the opposite. I'm really pleased that I managed such a successful finish."
Wälchli also achieves season's best
Of those with the mistakes, the runner-up then surprised everyone.
Marcel Wälchli: "I really wanted a clean first run and then spun in the sixth gate. That was probably good for me, because I knew afterwards what it would take. I then invested more in front of the corners to get out better."
This was also the best result for last year's runner-up in the junior mountain championship in his first slalom after four mountain races with the Renault Clio III rented from Denis Wolf. Although Stephan Zbinden took more risks after the first best time, he slipped to third place.
Schläpfer runner-up
Thomas Zürcher spun halfway in the once again aggressive second run and had to settle for fourth place. Meverick Gerber's second time was only good enough for fifth place behind Zürcher and ahead of Sven Indermühle, Patrick Gerber and Angelo Figus.
Schläpfer was the only one to completely fail the final run, meaning that the strongest Cup newcomer of the year found himself in an unusual ninth and last place. Fortunately for him, it was not Thomas Zürcher who won the final race, but the surprising Marc Beyeler. Otherwise the runner-up title would have slipped through his fingers at the last moment.
