Switzerland Velo Park

The return stay in Switzerland should not take too long. The last Francs in my pockets immediately felt comfortable and escaped back into the hands of real Swiss people at the first opportunity. But I had saved the Bike Park in Verbier for farewell. Thanks to the guest card, you can get the daily pass at half price, for only 20 Francs, and my hand was also sufficiently fit for the downhill-oriented days. In addition, I found a cheap bed & breakfast, and the stable weather window for Mont Blanc was still waiting.

The trails were very challenging, especially the World Cup track, as well as the highlight in the region - the Vertigo Trail. It truly lived up to its name and redefined the concept of steep downhill. Allegedly, anyone who can complete the trail belongs to the world elite. In contrast, I was brought back down to earth because my share of pushing on the downhill showed that there was still a huge gap between me and the world elite. At least I can take pride in the fact that there were sections that I could actually ride. That's something, at least.

After spending many weeks in this country, I must say - Switzerland is truly a Velo Land. Here, real road closures are very rare, unlike in Austria or unfortunately also in Germany, where road closures are often claimed without legal basis by farmers, communities, or hikers. Switzerland understands that forest roads are about as attractive for ambitious mountain biking as they are for multi-pitch climbing, and they promote and support mountain biking where it's truly enjoyable. This is further supported by campaigns promoting mutual respect between bikers and hikers. It's truly exemplary, and unfortunately, I haven't experienced this anywhere else. It's regrettable because it has an impact. During my entire time here, I haven't had a single conflict with hikers. In the Bavarian Alps, on the other hand, it happens almost every weekend that you encounter at least one disgruntled and ill-tempered hiker who claims sole right of way and deliberately tries to block the path or unleashes unjustified ranting. Of course, this mostly leads to me not wanting to discuss anything anymore and just ignoring it. Switzerland and its inhabitants show how to handle this better - for the benefit of all.