For the first time in 30 years of history, the Bike Marathon Classics will bring together the six most important mountain bike marathon races in Switzerland. The arrival of the Jura Bike Marathon and the return of the Nationalpark Bike-Marathon will take the series to a new dimension. In total, no less than 569 kilometers and 21,589 meters of positive elevation gain on the most beautiful singletrack trails in the Swiss Alps await mountain bike marathon enthusiasts for a fantastic sporting challenge.
The 2025 season had already set the bar very high, with suspense lasting until the final race to ultimately see world championship silver medalist Anna Weinbeer triumph in the women’s category, and Swiss rider Hansueli Stauffer narrowly beat European champion Andreas Seewald and former Belgian double champion Frans Claes. But the 2026 version will be of an even higher caliber.
Six Races Across Switzerland from May to September
The Jura Bike Marathon will kick off proceedings on May 17th with a UCI-labeled race accustomed to welcoming an international field of riders on a technical and varied course. One month later, on June 21st, riders will gather in Valais to celebrate the thirtieth edition of the Raid Evolénard, which will serve as the Swiss championship for the discipline. After a break during July, August will be packed, starting with the Eiger Bike Challenge in Grindelwald, offering its spectacular setting at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau on the second weekend of August. One week later it will be the turn of the Grand Raid BCVS, the oldest race of its kind and host of the 2025 world championship, with its formidable 125 kilometers and 5,025 meters of elevation gain between Verbier and Grimentz. Riders will barely have time to recover as one week later the Nationalpark Bike-Marathon will already take place. The longest race in the series with its 141km will celebrate its 25th anniversary on this occasion. The series will conclude in style on the last weekend of September with the Iron Bike Race in Einsiedeln, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
A New Chapter Begins
From a sporting perspective, the 2026 edition will be exciting because Urs Huber and Hansueli Stauffer, two riders who have always played leading roles in recent years, retired at the end of 2025. There is no shortage of contenders for their succession, starting with reigning Swiss champion Casey South, who won his first World Cup at the end of last season, or the experienced Marc Stutzmann, accustomed to top positions at the highest level. French-speaking Swiss rider Alexandre Balmer, 2024 Swiss champion, has demonstrated his ability to compete with the best and will also have his say provided his road racing calendar allows. Veteran Martin Fanger, overall winner of the Classics from 2022 to 2024, hasn’t said his last word while the young guard, composed of Fadri Barandum, Andri Beelin, Micha Klötzli, and Fabian Heizer, continues to gain strength. And several foreign riders will undoubtedly try to upset the party, starting with Frans Claes and Andreas Seewald.
Women’s Category in Full Swing
In the women’s category, Anna Weinbeer, world championship silver medalist and overall winner of the 2025 Classics, will be on the royal road to defending her title if she continues to ride at the level she showed in 2025. She will face Alessia Nay, overall winner of the 2024 Classics who is returning after an injury break, as well as Irina Lützelschwab, Mallory Barth, Chrystelle Baumann, and Stefanie Zahno. The next generation consisting of Elodie Python and Dounia Challandes will engage in a great duel in the medium distance category. Leading after the first round in 2025, Dounia ultimately had to let Elodie race to overall victory following an injury. She will certainly be keen to take her revenge.
