Andermatt becomes the home base of Swiss Road Cycling
The Alpenbrevet Extended is the hybrid extension of the Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet, which takes place annually on the first Saturday in September. As part of the newly created Alpenbrevet Extended, all cycling enthusiasts can ride the seven famous Alpine passes around Andermatt from 16 May 2024 until mid-October and become an Alpenbrevet legend.
Does the Alpenbrevet even need an extension? “We’ve actually asked ourselves this question several times,” reveals Alpenbrevet Brand Manager Patrick Huber. After the Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet 2024 – one of the best-known and most beautiful cycling marathons for amateur cyclists in the Swiss Alps – was already sold out at the beginning of January, the answer was obvious. “The demand for additional starting places for 7 September was enormous and so the ball started rolling for an event extension,” continues Huber.
What is the Alpenbrevet Extended?
The Alpenbrevet Extended invites the cycling community to discover the seven legendary Alpine passes around Andermatt individually. Just like the original event in September, the focus is not on the competition, but on the experience. Between mid-May and mid-October, cyclists can become part of the Alpenbrevet Extended by simply registering online and connecting to Strava or Garmin. There are digital badges to collect for each pass completed and, depending on the number of passes ridden, a different status including rewards in the form of competition prizes, Alpenbrevet merchandise or a very exclusive race number as a memento.
“As an innovative organiser, we want to break new ground with the Alpenbrevet Extended and offer our community even more Alpenbrevet,” says Patrick Huber. The Alpenbrevet Extended will by no means compete with the physical event in September, the Alpenbrevet organisers are certain. They see two main reasons for participating in the hybrid event format. “Firstly, the Alpenbrevet Extended motivates the participants registered for September to ride the passes once and prepare themselves ideally, and secondly, we offer those who have not been allocated a starting place an ideal alternative to still experience the Alpenbrevet feeling.”
Andermatt as a cycling destination
The partners from Andermatt are also a crucial component for the realisation of the Alpenbrevet Extended. “We want to position ourselves even more strongly as the home base of Swiss Road Cycling and thus as the cycling destination in the Alps. Alpenbrevet and Alpenbrevet Extended fit perfectly into this strategy,” says Hugo Farey from Andermatt Swiss Alps. The project is also supported by the major Andermatt hotels Radisson Blu Reussen, The Chedi Andermatt and the Andermatt Alpine Apartments.
Thanks to these three partners, Alpenbrevet Extended participants can be offered customised accommodation. In addition to reduced room rates, all participants who book an overnight stay at The Chedi Andermatt, Radisson Blu Hotel Reussen or Andermatt Alpine Apartments will receive an exclusive Alpenbrevet Extended T-shirt.
Surrounded by the majestic backdrop of the Swiss Alps, Andermatt is the ideal starting point for a round trip over several passes and thus also for the first realisation of the Alpenbrevet Extended.