Lars Sommer
Lars Sommer, a design engineer in the fourth year of his apprenticeship in Uzwil, took part in the Cyclocross World Championships in the US at the beginning of the year. Together with his older brother Jan and five other athletes from the Swiss Cycling national team, he traveled to the small town of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Lars achieved a solid 27th place as one of the youngest participants.
Karin Hämmerle, March 31, 2022
After his successes in Europe, Lars flew overseas for the first time for a race. The young constructor made the trip together with his older brother Jan, who had also qualified for the World Championships. “To make sure the coronavirus didn’t throw a wrench in our plans, we kept our contacts to a minimum before taking off for the States. We were incredibly relieved when our PCR tests at the airport came back negative,” Lars recounts.
Bühler is currently training 18 sports apprentices in five professions. 18 young people represent nine sports: floorball, gymnastics, mountain biking/cycling, soccer, judo, ice hockey, water polo, swimming, and handball. All apprentices in the sports apprenticeship program have a Swiss Olympic Talent Card or perform at the very top in regional competitions.
His older brother Jan has always been an idol for Lars. There is no competition between the Sommer Brothers from Andwil – although the two brothers race in the same category. They see themselves as a team and share their successes. It was no surprise that the two mastered the race in Fayetteville side by side. They started together in a group in the back ranks. “After all the ghost races in the last few months, there was a big crowd at the Cyclocross World Championships. People stood at the side of the track and cheered for us. The atmosphere was terrific and gave us both a lot of positive energy,” Lars recalls.
The pace of the course was high, as was the level. After a crash on the last lap, the two brothers remained composed. They straightened the handlebars, hooked the bike chain again and finished the race. Shortly before the end, they defeated two riders from the US in a sprint and finally crossed the finish line together. Jan finished in 26th and Lars finished in 27th place.
The track was very dry, like in the desert. It was clear that it would be a fast race and it would be difficult to make up positions. I didn’t have a rank target in mind. I am satisfied with my result. In retrospect, there’s nothing I left undone or could have done better.
Lars Sommer,
design engineer in the fourth year of his apprenticeship
The World Championships in Fayetteville were a successful end to the cyclocross season for Lars. There was no time to rest for the young apprentice. While preparations for the final exams of his apprenticeship as a design engineer are in full swing, Lars is starting the mountain bike season. Almost every weekend he sits on his bike and rides in elite races.
During the week, Lars works in the business area Value Nutrition at Bühler. In the summer, he will complete his apprenticeship. The sports apprenticeship at Bühler enables the young athlete to participate in elite sports during his apprenticeship. His colleagues at work and his fellow apprentices support Lars. They cheer along with him at the competitions. The sports apprenticeship at Bühler makes it easier for Lars to find a good balance between sports and apprenticeship. Both the company and the vocational school are quite tolerant when he is absent for sport events.
Bühler is currently training 18 sports apprentices in five professions. 18 young people represent nine sports: floorball, gymnastics, mountain biking/cycling, soccer, judo, ice hockey, water polo, swimming, and handball. All apprentices in the sports apprenticeship program have a Swiss Olympic Talent Card or perform at the very top in regional competitions.
While Lars will soon complete his apprenticeship, the Bühler vocational training team is looking forward to the next Sommer brother. The youngest of the bunch, Sven, will start his sports apprenticeship at Bühler in August. Cycling is his passion as well. Sven is the under 17 Swiss cyclocross champion and is aiming for big goals. Lars advises his younger brother not to neglect either sports or apprenticeship. “As a young athlete or sportsman, you should not want too much too soon. There should always be potential for development,” says Lars – with this attitude, he will certainly continue his successful career.
Gupfenstrasse 5
Uzwil
9240
Switzerland
