May 27, 2026 It was May, and winter had been a harsh one in the Alps. Snowfall had been abundant and the cold had lingered late into the season. Our tan lines were struggling to make an appearance, but among seasoned cyclists, excitement was reaching its peak: snow depths above 1800 meters were hitting record levels, and the images would …
Autumn at home
Dec 9, 2025 Winter has officially knocked on our door here in the Swiss Alps. It snowed. A lot. Enough for me to grab my touring skis and chase powder on the mountains around home, because let’s be honest, indoor riding is not high on my agenda. I will still sneak in valley rides whenever the weather allows, but up …
Slovenia: small country, big rides
Sept 1, 2025 In June, I spent a week in Slovenia riding on our road and gravel bikes with fellow cyclists Natacha and Javier. It wasn’t my first time in the country — I had already crossed it during the 2015 Transcontinental Race — but this trip gave me a fresh perspective. Slovenia is compact, diverse, and full of contrasts. …
A day in the life of a content creator
Photo: Gruber Images February 3, 2025 Last year, I began freelance work for komoot, the well-known app that helps more than 40 million users worldwide plan, track, and navigate hiking, cycling, and running routes with personalized recommendations and maps. As a komoot content creator, my job is to spend time in a destination, ride several routes, take photos, and share …
Long distance cycling: yes, but why?
Photos: kuwa.swiss August 1, 2024 About ten years ago, I got into ultracycling: stupidly long stuff that you finish in a pathetic state and that makes you look like an idiot when you talk about it at the family Christmas dinner. It started with a bang, when I signed up for the Transcontinental Race on a whim in 2015. I …
Col de la Croix: the giant of the Alpes vaudoises
June 17, 2024 On the weekend of June 15 and 16, the Tour de Suisse came to Villars-sur-Ollon for two stages. For the men, this was be the event’s finale. For their female colleagues, it was start of the fourth edition of the Tour de Suisse Women. The routes were the same for both pelotons: on Sunday, there was an …
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10 reasons why you should ride the Furka-Nufenen-Gotthard loop
June 7, 2024 A few months ago, Luke, the man behind the Switchback Saturdays Instagram account, asked me to showcase the most beautiful loop in the Swiss Alps. “Easy,” I replied. “It has to be the Furka-Nufenen-Gotthard. You won’t find anything more beautiful in the Alps.” As for the Saturday, I chose June 8. Right at the start of the …
2024 UCI Granfondo Suisse: 3 new courses
June 6, 2024 The third edition of the UCI Granfondo Suisse will take place on Sunday 7 July in Villars-sur-Ollon. The big change this year is the route: instead of a single loop of medium difficulty, which left the strongest riders wanting more and represented too big a challenge for beginners, participants will be able to choose between 3 distances… …
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How to know if a pass is open
may 28, 2026 2026 UPDATE This post is part of our Winter Riding in the Alps guide. Check it out here. Every spring, it’s the same question: is this pass open? Whether it’s the Furka, Galibier or Stelvio, cyclists can’t wait to find out when it will be possible to climb the Alpine passes again. And why is that? To …
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The gadget I never wanted but can no longer live without
March 6, 2024 Last year I received a Garmin Varia RTL 515 rear radar/ bike light as a gift. And until actually using it, I would have never considered buying one. After 20 years of riding without one, not only did I assume I never needed such a device, but I was frankly annoyed even by the idea. Why? To …
