According to a press release, the reasons for the early cancellation lie in particular in the sharp decline in participants in recent years. "With around 350 participants, an event like the Bike Attack cannot be organized to cover costs in the long term," emphasizes Silvio Baselgia.

While the Bike Attack with its 777 starting places was already fully booked in the spring in previous years, the number of participants fell from 600 in 2016 to around 350 at this year's event. Silvio Baselgia sees the high density of comparable freeride races and the rapid development in the bike industry as the reasons for this. "The Bike Attack format, with the bumpy start on the Rothorn summit and the fast passages on the way to Churwalden, no longer offers the same challenge as it did in 1998. The mountain bike industry has developed significantly in recent years, so it's time to give the Bike Attack a new format," says Silvio Baselgia.

New edition in summer 2019

Together with Lenzerheide Marketing und Support AG, the OC is already working on a new event concept. "We have set ourselves the goal of creating a new and innovative bike event - like the Bike Attack back then. But that takes time," explains Silvio Baselgia. The OC will therefore only communicate details of the new concept at the start of the 2018 summer season. The new Bike Attack will then take place in summer 2019.