A Two-in-one Bike Racing Weekend In Villars, Switzerland

After a successful debut hosting both races (road and gravel) in July 2024, the Vaudois resort will once again welcome cyclists from July 27 to 29 for the second edition of the UCI Gravel Suisse, along with the fifth edition of the UCI Gran Fondo Suisse

2025 UCI Gran Fondo Suisse

In the heart of the Vaud Alps, the famous mountain resort of Villars is the setting for a weekend of festivities for cycling enthusiasts.

With its two different race formats (time trial and road race) and four different routes, this event is aimed at both competitive riders and amateur cyclists looking for a personal challenge or a family day out to share their passion for cycling (in all its forms!).

The Alpine Event of the UCI Gravel World Series Calendar

Nearly 600 riders took part in the first edition on July 8 and the UCI Gravel Suisse has already established itself as one of the country’s premier gravel events. With over 55% of participants from 34 countries and two-thirds of Swiss riders from outside the Vaud region, the UCI Gravel World Series demonstrates its strong appeal. Notably, the top 25% in each age category qualify automatically for the UCI Gravel World Championships, set to take place in Nice, France, from October 18-19, 2025, with Villars-sur-Ollon recently chosen as the 2029 host.

After an inaugural event filled with valuable insights, the organisers have decided to completely revamp both courses. The “Big Ride” and the “Short Ride” will now depart from the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle, only 15 km from Villars. This strategic choice allows for attractive routes showcasing the region’s stunning gravel segments and beautiful landscapes. At 105 km with 3,400 m of elevation gain, the “Big Ride” will offer a true alpine challenge for World Series participants, allowing climbers to shine. The “Short Ride” will be equally rewarding with 74 km and 2,400 m of elevation gain.

A Two-in-one Bike Racing Weekend In Villars, Switzerland

The UCI Gran Fondo Switzerland has already found its reference routes

In 2024, the road format saw a successful revamp (July 5 and 7) with more than 1,100 riders taking on the newly redesigned “pro-style” courses, reminiscent of a Grand Tour stage. Similar to the Gravel World Series, 40% of participants came from abroad, representing 33 countries, while two-thirds of the Swiss riders came from outside the Vaud region.

The routes will remain unchanged this year, providing riders with the opportunity to gauge their progress. The roads of the Vaudois Alps are no strangers to professional pelotons (men’s and women’s), regularly hosting prestigious events like the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie, and the men’s Tour de France, which passed through in 2022. With a long 150 km route boasting over 3,700 m of elevation gain, this fifth edition’s “Granfondo” course is once again worthy of a Grand Tour mountain stage, featuring iconic climbs such as the Col de la Croix, Col du Pillon, Mittelberg, Mosses, and Forclaz.

To ensure this celebratory weekend caters to cyclists of all levels, a more accessible route has been preserved with the “Mediofondo” course (100 km and 2,600 m of elevation gain). Each route highlights the region’s legendary mountain passes, like the Col de la Croix and Col des Mosses.

On Friday, June 27, a 7 km time trial up the Col de la Croix will once again complement the event’s offerings, making this weekend a must for cycling enthusiasts. All routes will start and finish in Villars, making logistics as seamless as possible for participants.

For each of the qualifying events in the two disciplines, the top 25% in each age category are automatically entitled to take part in the UCI World Championships in the discipline concerned.

Second Edition: Weekend of June 27-29, 2025

Registration is now open on www.ucigranfondosuisse.com and www.ucigravelsuisse.com. An early bird rate is available for the first 200 participants registered for each event.