Swiss-Bike Adventure

Swiss-Bike Adventure is a 1,300-kilometre road ultra starting in Andermatt — a mountain town at the crossroads of four of Switzerland's most celebrated alpine passes — with 24,000 metres of elevation gain through the Swiss Alps and Jura mountains. Organised by Andy Buchs of Transbike Adventures, it is one of the most elevation-intense road ultras in the world relative to its distance: 24,000 metres of climbing in 1,300 kilometres averages more than 18 metres of ascent per kilometre across the entire course. Andermatt sits at the junction of the Gotthard, Furka, Oberalp, and Susten passes, which gives the route an immediate alpine context from the very first metres. The course loops through the cantons of Uri, Graubunden, Ticino, Valais, Vaud, and the Jura, crossing high passes including some that are only seasonally accessible. Road surfaces in Switzerland are generally excellent, but the gradient demands are relentless, and the combination of altitude, sustained climbing, and the necessity of managing weather changes across multiple microclimates makes this a challenging event even for experienced alpine cyclists. The July timing aligns with the brief summer window when the highest passes are reliably snow-free. The event attracts a field of serious road cyclists with strong alpine experience, and the mountain infrastructure of Switzerland — mountain huts, guesthouses, shops — makes resupply more manageable than in more remote ultra destinations.