15 years National Park Bike Marathon

Urs Huber beats vice world champion Lakata at the biggest bike event in Graubünden

Once again, the National Park Bike Marathon attracted around 2,000 participants to the borders of the Swiss National Park. With the best summer weather, exciting top battles, an established concept and countless beaming faces, the 15th edition of the Grisons' biggest mountain bike race also goes down in the history books. Urs Huber wins the scenic race for the third time, narrowly ahead of Lakata (A) and Käss (D).

1921 athletes took to the track on Saturday morning, August 27, 2016. 584 bikers were sent out on the longest route in Scuol in the morning in imperial weather. In Fuldera, 292 participants started on the Jauer route, 225 took the Livignasco route from Livigno under their wheels. Once again, the Putèr route from S-chanf was particularly popular with 752 participants, as was the "BiXS Stafetta" team category with 25 teams of two and four sharing the entire route.

Spectacular duels at the top
More than 60 registered licensed riders promised a great spectacle at the top already in advance. From the beginning to the end the top stayed close together. Urs Huber, Alban Lakta, Jochen Käss and Daniel Geismayr gave each other nothing on the 137 kilometers and 4,026 meters of altitude and crossed the finish line within 25 seconds. Urs Huber was able to claim victory on the final descent from Ftan to Scuol. The man from Jona circumnavigated Switzerland's only national park in a total time of 5:26:10.2, winning for the third time on this route. Vice world champion Alban Lakata from Austria was second, twenty seconds after him the German Jochen Käss finished just ahead of Daniel Geismayr from Austria in third place. In the women's race, Cornelia Hug (Amsoldingen) won ahead of Nadia Walker (Altdorf) and Florence Darbellay (Neuchâtel). Hug completed the total distance in a time of 6:45:06,5 h. She thus took the victory at the established race again after 2008 (at that time still in the open fun category).

The National Park Bike Marathon makes history(s)
The high number of participants on all routes and the different categories make the National Park Bike Marathon suitable for the masses. The "Staffetta" category, for example, is enjoying growing popularity, while the "Big and Small" family category on the shortest route has been a hit with locals and guests for years. Thus, for 15 years, the bike marathon has provided the basis for exciting stories and lasting experiences. These are always thematized on the eve of the race, when athletes with their tenth participation are inducted into the 10-year club as "Giubilars" and tell of their personal connection to this unique race. For the first time, ex-professional, veteran and five-time winner Lukas Buchli was not present as a participant, but as a co-commentator. In addition, the local touring and riding technique specialist "Alptrails" offered free riding technique courses for all participants in the run-up to the anniversary. This offer was also very much appreciated and was completely booked out.

Continuous further development of a climate-neutral large-scale project
In its 15th edition, the National Park Bike Marathon was organized climate neutrally for the fourth time. In addition to the award of the destination management organization as a climate-neutral company, the organizers set with the major event a clear signal within the framework of their sustainability strategy. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a minimum. The support of ecosport.ch, the environmental fund established in 2014 and a separate raffle also enable long-term investments for even more ecological sustainability in this distinctive landscape.

The extensive support makes it possible.
Consistently high numbers of participants and the importance of the largest mountain bike event in the canton motivate voluntary and active support. With the presenting sponsor Coop and numerous service partners, the National Park Bike Marathon has been able to rely on the necessary help in the administrative and financial areas for years. On the day of the race itself, almost 500 "Voluntaris" are on duty as volunteers for the event. It is their cooperation that makes the National Park Bike Marathon possible in the first place - as well as the support of municipalities, the canton and other committed sponsors and patrons.