Valais is actively preparing to host the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, where titles will be awarded in seven disciplines for the first time. This prestigious competition will contribute in particular to positioning Valais as an internationally renowned mountain bike destination.

Changes in plans are part and parcel of such major projects. For example, Leukerbad is applying to host the e-mountain bike competitions. The corresponding applications are currently being processed. The UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Championships will be organized by the Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, which successfully hosted the Swiss Enduro Championships last weekend. This destination has the ideal terrain to present the athletes of this discipline with major challenges, but also offers scenic beauty that is also associated with this discipline. Philippe Sproll, Director of the Aletsch Arena, is delighted with this announcement: "We are thrilled to be able to integrate the organization of this important event and to host a UCI World Cup event from 2024. The organization of this major event fits in with our destination's strategy of developing the mountain bike product and the enduro routes, which are currently in the homologation phase, will inspire the world's elite."

Valais is preparing for an exceptional year in 2024, with a calendar full of mountain bike events featuring several international-level races. Highlights include UCI Cross Country and Short Track World Cup competitions in Crans-Montana, the UCI Enduro World Cup in the Aletsch Arena and Bellwald, the UEC European Downhill Championships in Champéry, the "Grand Raid" mountain marathon from Verbier to Grimentz, as well as a Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championship qualifying event in Monthey.

Julien Hess, Director of "Valais 2025", is looking forward to the events: "In 2024, Valais and Switzerland will already be in the spotlight with major cycling events that will allow the various destinations in the project to present themselves and at the same time prepare optimally for 2025". At the same time, Zurich will host the UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships in September 2024. "Switzerland will therefore be the capital of international cycling for two consecutive years," summarizes Julien Hess.

A joint commitment to a sustainable event

The year 2023 was used to initiate the development of a sustainable cycling heritage for the canton. Steve Morabito, President of "Valais 2025" and the Valais Cycling Federation, draws a positive balance: "We have focused our projects on three pillars: youth, junior sport and women's cycling. The initial results are very satisfactory. We will continue our efforts until 2025 and even beyond to build a sustainable legacy and share our passion for two-wheelers with as many people as possible."

Specifically, 1550 students from 25 different schools have benefited from cycling awareness courses. A total of 58 athletes were supported by the Cycling Academy Valais 2025 and 31 women took part in the Women's Bike Park session organized by Valais 2025 in Bellwald.

In the spirit of sustainability, the host destinations have signed a charter demonstrating their commitment to an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable event. All these initiatives confirm Valais' ongoing commitment to the development of mountain biking and its desire to promote the region as a reference destination.

The most important competitions in Switzerland in 2024

• 21-23.06.2024: UCI Mountain Bike Cross Country Olympic World Cup + UCI Mountain Bike Short Track World Cup in Crans-Montana
• 12-14.07.2024 : UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup in the Aletsch Arena/Bellwald
• 09-11.08.2024 : UEC Mountain Bike Downhill European Championships in Champéry
• 23-24.08.2024 : Grand Raid - Swiss Mountain Bike Race Marathon Verbier-Grimentz
• 21-29.09.2024 : UCI Cycling and Para-Cycling Road World Championships 2024 in Zurich
• Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships Switzerland Qualifier + Pump Track Valais/Wallis Final in Monthey (date tbc)

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