One of the many mountains in Switzerland is the host of the National Championship 2019, which sadly conflicted with the UBS end-of-season party, ruling Schelling out of contention. (Pro-)Continental teams Sauber and Centovalli do participate, as are some one-man teams.
The Centovalli team dominates the first climb, reducing the group to 12. Chavanne, Page and Taramacaz are gone for Sauber, while Centovalli is still at full strength. Spengler the only other semi-pro dropped.
Sauber's only hope now is an attack from Hirschi, which he tries on the final climb. He is followed by Freuler, Delco, Lienhard and Frankiny. All teams bar Repsol - Honda are represented with one rider, thus the numerical advantage for Centovalli is gone as well.
The five get to the final kilometer, Saggiorato at a minute unlikely to catch. Freuler and Delco at the front on the in- and outside respectively.
The inside line is faster than the outside-line as Freuler is in the lead. Frankiny, who went through the middle, is rapidly approaching though.
The optimal line was taken by Kilian Frankiny, who is the new Swiss Championship! Where Centovalli and Sauber battle against each other, it is Isostar who takes away the win. Freuler only manages second with Delco completing the podium. Lienhard fourth, Hirschi best Sauber in fifth and Saggiorato falling 47 seconds short in the end in sixth.
The Swiss may be known for their watches, but their national time trial championship is not well-populated. Cancellara has retired, Dillier and Schär are still partying, Küng was held up at the border crossing, Imhof and Brüngger have no contract and Stüssi's manager failed to register him. Who is left then?
After a few riders have crossed the line, Mäder is fastest in 1h09'32, six seconds ahead of teammate Pellaud. Comparing this time to specialists on other countries and they are more than five minutes slower.
Freuler then beats his teammates to take the hot seat in 1h08'08, overtaking prologue specialist Chavanne on his way. For the latter, the 51.1 kilometer is way too long to be a contender.
Aregger is also a prologue specialist, but he goes to second despite being off the podium after the last checkpoint. He will prevent a full Centovalli sweep.
Stocker is the last Centovalli rider but cannot get on the podium, provisional fourth at + 1'28, four seconds behind Mäder.
Last rider en route is Taramarcaz, and is thirteen seconds faster than Freuler after one-third. 1h07'20 is 48 seconds faster at the finish line to make the top six Sauber-Centovalli-Sauber-Centovalli-Centovalli-Centovalli.
Despite the absentees, a win is a win for Julien Taramarcaz.
Swiss National Road Race Championship 
