Mountain biking is a highly relevant sport in Leysin. For the third year running, Swiss champions will be crowned in the Vaudois climatic health resort. In 2021, the downhill titles were held in Leysin, and in 2022 it was the turn of the Olympic cross-country discipline. This summer, on the weekend of July 7 to 9, the downhill specialists will once again compete for the jerseys with the white cross on the back.

The course has been worked on since the last Rendez-vous; as two years ago, the races will take place as part of the Hot Trail Series. The program includes decisions in seven categories. In the elite category, the search is on for the successor to overall World Cup winner Camille Balanche and the successor to Noel Niederberger; the two men from Neuchâtel and Aargau won the gold medals in St. Luc last year.

Thal also has a close connection to the sport of mountain biking, as Olympic champion Jolanda Neff grew up in the St. Gallen municipality. This year, the third national championships in the pump track discipline will take place in the village on Lake Constance. On Saturday, September 2, not only will medals be awarded in the Skills Arena in Thal, but also starting places for the world championships. The latter will be held in South America on November 18.

The defending champion in both Thal and Neuquén, Argentina, is Christa von Niederhäusern. The 24-year-old from Bern, formerly a member of Swiss Cycling's national BMX squad, was celebrated as world champion in Santiago de Chile last November.

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