Photocredit: Marius Maasewerd

2019 marks a new chapter in the Perskindol Swiss Epic’s history books. Mountain bikers will see an all-new race course and new stage towns, tackling Graubünden’s trails in the south-eastern part of Switzerland where the race will be hosted for the next five years.

Founded in 2014, the race’s intrepid participants who return year after year are treated to an exciting new route in each new edition. In the route designers’ continuous search to deliver “the ultimate mountain biking experience”, Graubünden offers them exactly what they are looking for – another huge network of exciting trails to choose from.

Keenly attended by riders from 45 different nations, the Perskindol Swiss Epic has welcomed nearly 2000 dedicated amateurs, and decorated professionals, including Olympic medallists, multiple world champions and winners of the Absa Cape Epic. Perskindol Swiss Epic’s managing director Felix Eichenberger looks forward to showing off Graubünden’s spoils to the riders in 2019.

“Each year we aim to design an extraordinary and unique course and to balance the challenge of tackling a 5-day mountain bike stage race in the mountains with exhilarating trails and spectacular views of the Swiss Alps. Big thanks to the Valais for hosting us for the last five years, and we’re looking forward to exploring new routes in the Graubünden region for the next five.” Along its 5-day, 350km route, the 2019 edition visits the towns of Davos, St. Moritz and Lenzerheide (host of the 2018 UCI World Championships).

As part of the Epic Series – a portfolio of premium mountain bike stage races – the Perskindol Swiss Epic is set as the European leg in which athletes may qualify for the Absa Cape Epic (considered as the most prestigious mountain bike stage race in the world).

Perskindol Swiss Epic co-founder and mountain bike legend Thomas Frischknecht has seen a great many trails in his long career, “Back in the days as a pro racer and still now, Graubünden has always been my favourite region in the Alps. The vast mountain bike trail network is truly amazing!”

Reto Branschi, CEO of Graubünden Region, adds some insight into the region’s trail network, “In Graubünden we say we have been trail building in for centuries – with paths totalling over 17000km it obviously didn’t happen overnight! They’re all open for mountain biking, which is good news for riders, and also for the Perskindol Swiss Epic route designers! We are all very excited to be hosting Europe’s premier mountain bike stage race.”

Registration for the 2019 Swiss Epic opens on the 1st of October – sign up here to get a reminder when 2019 registration opens.