Ideal start for the Swiss Riders

"The three guys fought incredibly, they were willing, fully motivated, precise, it is fantastic. It is great that Steve (Guerdat) as 4th, Martin (Fuchs) as 7th and Romain (Duguet) as 11th are so well placed," summarized a visibly satisfied Andy Kistler, the Swiss Chef d'Equipe, after todays Tabel C jumping on this slightly cool morning in Gothenburg in front of rather sparsly populated spectator's ranks.

« Not all had the same conditions »

Steve Guerdat is very satisfied with his 4th place and the way his Bianca jumped. The Jurassier found "the course of Louis Konickx interesting and well built, although there were some difficulties in it, but they were to master." A little bit disadvantageously seem the starting times, which are really quite irritating and contraproductive. "We have to jump early in the morning, then late in the evening. And today it was unfair because not all had the same conditions, the light was changing during the morning, which explains some of the faults." Adding at the same time, that "the way is still very long, today it was only the beginning."

Still, Steve Guerdat, as 4th with 0.84 pt. less than one point behind the current leader, the Olympic vice champion Peder Fredricson with the amazing All in H&M, who just survived a colicky operation last winter, Martin Fuchs, 7th with 2.03 pt. in touch with the top positions as well, with his ingenious Clooney, who was not easy to ride today, in particular on the obstacle No. 10, a vertical after the water, and Romain Duguet, 11. (2.28 Pt.) with Twentytwo des Biches, all have real chances in the individual - like in the last World Cup final - allthough the important thing now is the team competition, at least until Friday evening.

Switzerland (5.15), in at the top before France (6.78), Sweden (7.21), Ireland (8.11), and the surprising Spanish Team as 5th (8.85), are all classified within the same fault before the first team competition on Thursday at 1:30 pm (broadcast live on rts.ch).

Source (translated originally French text) : Le Cavalier Romand / Alban Poudret