At the beginning of April, the "Scott Odlo MTB Racing Team" announced that the new and old world champion Nino Schurter would once again be taking part in the Swiss Epic from September 12 to 17, 2016. However, Schurter will not be riding with Dutchman Michiel van der Heijden in the team, as originally communicated, but with Swiss Matthias Stirnemann, who rode to sixth place at the World Championships in Nove Mesto. Van der Heijden will compete together with Andri Frischknecht.

Current and former world champions in the starting field

Other teams have also signed up big names. Specialized is sending the well-known Swiss rider Christoph Sauser into the race. As a multiple world champion and Olympic medal winner, he is one of the most successful mountain bikers ever. He will start together with his protégé, the reigning U23 world champion Sam Gaze from New Zealand. Merida-Multivan also has a top team: Former world champion Jose Hermida from Spain will start together with Swiss rider Thomas Litscher, among others Junior World Champion 2007. BMC has also registered two strong teams with the Swiss riders Lukas Flückiger and Lars Forster as well as Martin Fanger and Reto Indergand.

The participation of the Swiss Epic runners-up from 2014 and 2015, Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr from Team Centurion Vaude, who are the favorites this year, has also been confirmed. The top riders from the Topeak Ergon Racing Team, Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek, have also confirmed their return. The former marathon world champion and the former European marathon champion finished third last year.

Jolanda Neff mixes up the women's field

Other top athletes in the women's field have also confirmed their participation in the Perskindol Swiss Epic: Jolanda Neff, multiple cross-country and marathon world champion and dominator of the women's bike scene, will compete with Alessandra Keller for the Stöckli Pro Team. Back in April, Swiss Epic title defender and reigning European champion Sally Bigham from the Topeak Ergon Racing Team confirmed her renewed participation.

Other special teams

In addition to the professional athletes mentioned above, there are also a few other very interesting riders at the start of the third Perskindol-Swiss-Epic. For example, the one-legged Belgian Arnout Matthys will be riding in the Swiss Epic format. Ajay Pandit Chettry and Aayman Tamang, two young Nepalese riders who are attracting attention with their charity project "Ride to Rescue", which supports the reconstruction work after the terrible earthquake in Nepal in 2015, will also be at the start.

Martina Aitolehti and Katariina Laakkonen, a prominent women's team from Finland, will also be at the start. Martina has held various Finnish Miss titles and is a model, singer and TV star. Katariina was both a successful triathlete in the 1990s and a famous TV presenter on the show Gladiators. She brought the sport of BMX to Finland and is now increasingly involved in promoting youth cycling in Finland.

The duo of ex-professional and Perskindol Swiss Epic co-initiator Thomas Frischknecht, together with Ralph Näf, who retired from top-level sport last year, has been known for some time. They will start as the charity team Greenhope, a project in the fight against childhood cancer. The Swiss mountain bike magazine Ride also announced its special team back in April: Alex Fiva, 2013 World Cup winner in ski cross, and snowboard pro Nevin Galmarini, 2014 Olympic silver medal winner in the parallel giant slalom in Sotchi. So the Perskindol-Swiss-Epic is sure to be exciting in every respect.

Short version EPIC 2 DAY: Register by August 14, 2016

The Perskindol-Swiss-Epic stage race offers six days of pure mountain biking fun from September 12 to 17, 2016. For all those who don't have enough vacations, fitness or budget for this, but still want to take part, the organizer has a great alternative: the "Epic 2 Day Package" is Perskindol-Swiss-Epic in short format! With this all-inclusive package, teams of two can ride the last two stages of the race on September 16 and 17, 2016 around Verbier and enjoy the Valais single trails and the international mountain bike community in a superlative extended mountain bike weekend. Registration for the "Epic 2 Day" format closes on August 14, 2016! Information at www.swissepic.com/event/startplatze-und-packages

SWISS-EPIC all-inclusive week: registration deadline July 31, 2016

If you prefer to take on the long format of the Swiss Epic or Swiss Epic Flow from September 12 to 17, 2016 and ride from Zermatt via Leukerbad to Verbier, you can still register until July 31, 2016. All all-inclusive packages are still available, from Heaven in a 5-star hotel, to Comfort in a 3-star hotel, to Budget in a shared room or camper. Thanks to the all-inclusive offer, participants don't have to worry about luggage transportation, accommodation or meals and can enjoy a full six days of pure mountain bike flow! Participation is possible from CHF 1,425 per person. Zur Anmeldung: www.my5.raceresult.com

Track 2016 with even more flow

Perskindol Swiss Epic offers a slightly shorter, but even more flowing course this time than in the last two editions. The 6-day Swiss Epic format has around 360 kilometers and 12,500 vertical meters on the program, while the Swiss Epic Flow, in which various climbs are covered by mountain railroads or shuttles, has around 280 kilometers, 8,000 vertical meters of ascent and around 15,600 meters of flowing descents. The short version, Epic 2 Day, offers around 100 kilometers and 4,800 vertical meters.

Information on the individual stages:

www.swissepic.com/event/strecke

Participants from all continents

Perskindol Swiss Epic is the most important stage race in Europe and, thanks to its unbeatable alpine backdrop, also one of the most impressive in the world, with a decidedly international community in 2016. So far, riders from all five continents and almost 25 nations have registered, including New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, South Africa and Nepal, for example. Different generations are also represented: At the moment, the youngest participant is 21 years old, the oldest participant 67, which shows: Perskindol Swiss Epic is not about the race, but about the adventurous biking experience in a team of two.