Whilst it’s a long way off, it is something to look forward to without the liklihood of cancellation. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has awarded the Swiss region of Valais the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, scheduled for September 2025. Eight Valais destinations will host the various events, including Crans-Montana for the ‘blue ribbon’ Cross-Country race.
The opening ceremony will take place in the Valais capital city of Sion, with other events taking place in the Dents du Midi Region (Downhill), Grächen (E-Bike), Leukerbad (Enduro), Verbier with Val d’Anniviers (Marathon), Monthey (Pumptrack) and Zermatt (Short Track). It’s the first time in the history of the UCI World Championships that all seven events are taking place in the same region.
Switzerland is a popular mountain biking destination and also has an excellent reputation as a large-scale event organiser. David Lappartient, President of the UCI, said, “The canton is perfectly suited to host major cycling competitions. We remember the 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Champéry very well. Switzerland is a great mountain bike nation and we were seduced by the formula proposed by the committee application, this unique combination of all specialties in one event.”
Crans-Montana is a chic and stylish all-year-round mountain resort located in the Valais canton of Switzerland (French-speaking), around two hours by train from Geneva Airport; the resort is part of the Best of the Alps group. Sitting on a high plateau above the Rhone Valley and facing south, the views from Crans-Montana are spectacular, especially from higher altitudes where it’s possible to see Mont Blanc in the west, through to the Matterhorn and way beyond to the east.
During the winter, the skiing is well suited for intermediates, with a wide range of blue and red runs, but there’s excellent beginners’ areas as well as some more challenging slopes for experts, including some interesting off-piste and ski touring terrain. During summer, the resort is a magnet for both road cyclists and mountain bikers as well as hikers and adventure seekers.
Traynor On The Trail 