The first combined mountain bike world championships begin in Sion on Saturday. Over two weeks, the world champions in seven disciplines will be determined in Valais. The most important things in four points.
30.08.2025, 05:00
SDA
Where will the competitions take place?
The World Championship venues are Crans-Montana (Cross-Country), Zermatt (Short Track), Champéry (Downhill), Verbier - Val d'Anniviers (Marathon), Monthey (Pump Track) and the Aletsch Arena/Bellwald (Enduro, E-Enduro and E-MTB). The title fights will open next Saturday and Sunday in Sion with various festivities on the opening weekend. The first decisions will be made on Monday, September 1, in the Enduro and E-Enduro competitions in the Aletsch Arena.
What are the sporting highlights?
The decisions in the Olympic cross-country will be the highlight of the title fights on the final weekend. The venue is Crans-Montana. The women's elite race will take place on Saturday, September 13, and the men's race the following day on the final day.
Switzerland is one of the leading nations in the supreme discipline. For the last time, former champion Nino Schurter (39) will be part of the team. In addition to the renowned athletes, the hopefuls also include the late bloomer Nicole Koller and the up-and-coming talents Fabio Püntener and Ronja Blöchlinger.
The downhill specialists will provide plenty of spectacle in Champéry, with decisions to be made on the weekend of September 6/7. As the 2020 world champion, Camille Balanche from Neuchâtel is among the extended circle of medal contenders.
What is enduro and pump track?
Bringing together the various mountain bike disciplines at a combined World Championships also puts the spotlight on disciplines that are otherwise more at home in popular sports. The world champions in the E-MTB discipline will also be crowned in Valais, and some sports fans may not yet be familiar with the enduro and pump track disciplines.
Pump tracks have already established themselves among the younger public in popular sports. Riding on the artificially created circuits with waves and banked turns offers a high fun factor and is very popular with children.
In the competitive form of pump track, the aim is to complete such a course as quickly as possible, similar to BMX racing. Enduro is a hybrid between cross-country and downhill, the discipline includes at least four stages (connecting stages and special stages). Enduro bikes are therefore designed for versatility.
What are the organizers hoping for?
The Swiss cycling association Swiss Cycling speaks of a "milestone for Switzerland as a mountain bike nation. Valais and Swiss cycling as a whole will benefit from these world championships far beyond the competitions," predicts Thomas Peter, Managing Director of Swiss Cycling. World Championships Director Julien Hess expects "a lasting legacy".
For Valais Tourism Director Bruno Huggler, the World Championships will provide "strong impetus for the further development of our bike offer". This will serve to strengthen the summer season and expand the tourism business into the spring and fall. Swiss Cycling considers the fact that the event also brings lesser-known disciplines into focus to be a positive effect.
