In recent years, Switzerland has regularly won medals in the junior categories at the European and World Championships. With Nino Schurter, Mathias Flückiger, Thomas Litscher, Lars Forster, Jolanda Neff and Linda Indergand, a number of junior medal winners have been extremely successful in the elite category. Some strong young riders will be joining them in the coming years. The women in particular can look forward to the transition from the U-23 category. Sina Frei dominated the U-23 World Cup races last season and has already proven several times that she can keep up with the "big ones". Junior World Champion Alessandra Keller would still be eligible to compete in the same category, but has already placed sixth three times in an Elite World Cup last season. As a reminder: Sina Frei is only 19 years old. She will be joined in the next few years by the U-23 World Champion from Andorra, Ramona Forchini, and the Junior World Champion Nicole Koller. The future looks no less rosy for the men. At the last World Championships in Nove Mesto, Marcel Guerrini won the bronze medal in the U-23 category and Vital Albin took silver in the junior race.

Where does the power density among Swiss mountain bikers come from?

One reason for the good results among young riders is certainly the Swiss Bike Cup. The national series has been Switzerland's talent factory for twelve years. It's not just how the start in the racing circus is made possible that is decisive. Competing in the same races as the great role models Schurter and Neff is an additional motivational boost. The top Swiss cracks are close to the public and have now all emerged from the Swiss Bike Cup. The top riders know from their own experience what it is like to compete in their first races as young riders and can empathize with the youngsters. They are correspondingly courteous and open with the youngest participants and are always on hand with help and advice. The bike clubs also provide a great service. Gone are the days of speeding bike clubs. More and more attention is being paid to the experience and riding technique of mountain biking. The results are more fun and less pressure for the next generation.

Will the generation of over-40 bikers bring new blood to the tourism industry?

Racing is not the only sport that needs young talent; tourism is also dependent on young, up-and-coming bikers. The generation of "over-40 bikers with children" is the ideal supplier of young talent. Most of them have been active bikers for years and have already infected their offspring with bike fever - ideal conditions for a bike trip together. Tour operators are designing more and more offers for the whole family - the range of transport facilities for mountain bikes is growing all the time. The lifts and hotels will also have to be filled in the future. Mountain biking is also increasingly finding its way into school sports. In the city of Zurich, an optional subject, mountain biking, is already being offered as a trend-setter - very young bikers are also increasingly being welcomed in bike clubs. Enthusiasm for mountain biking is increasingly being communicated in public institutions and is gaining in importance. A fact that should ultimately also make the industry and the numerous bike stores very happy. Mountain biking as a trend sport

Also thanks to the recent successes of our racers, mountain biking has become a trend sport, with the various pump tracks and bike trails playing a major part in this. Depending on the generation, the mountain bike has become a toy or a trend sport, but in my opinion it can be both. Fortunately, we won't be running out of young talent any time soon, whether in racing or in the tourism industry.