"Upwards. almighty schröcklich." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's travel diary from 20 and 21 June 1775 bears witness to his first encounter with the Gotthard. His ascent to the top of the pass was accompanied by "hardship and toil and sweat". And yet the great German poet was so impressed by the landscape that he followed up his first trip to Switzerland with two more. Now, almost 250 years later, the world has become a different place. And even though asphalted pass roads can now be climbed in just a few minutes by sports car and motorbike drivers and the region even serves as the backdrop for the adventures of secret agent James Bond, racing cyclists at least can still understand how the poet once felt on his arduous journey.
From a geographical perspective, Andermatt is almost the centre of Switzerland - and a mecca for racing cyclists. Seven passes can be conquered from here in all directions, which forms the basis for a very special road bike event through five Swiss cantons: the Alpenbrevet. It is already clear from the sight of the majestic Swiss Central Alps that not much can be achieved without toil and sweat. But the fact that every year on a weekend at the beginning of September, around 3200 disciples in colourful jerseys and tight cycling shorts make a pilgrimage to the idyllic village of 1500 souls makes for an impressive sight. When the sun has not yet risen, they tackle the four different routes of between 64 and 267 kilometres in length. And when the sun has long since set, some of them still haven't reached the finish line.
Gotthard Pass: From the darkness into the fog
On the road to the Gotthard Pass at dawn, a seemingly endless chain of lights bears witness to hundreds of athletes following in Goethe's footsteps on narrow tyres. Here on the Silver Tour, 107 kilometres and 3100 metres of altitude have to be conquered. But the first pitfalls await on the way to the Gotthard, the first pass, even on the second shortest route of the Alpine Brevet. Although the weather forecast had promised a beautiful and warm late summer day, the fog thickens with every metre of altitude. It's drizzling. And it gets colder and colder. One person whose mood is not dampened is Michael Brichta, who is proud to regularly take part in triathlons on his folding bike. "You can do anything, regardless of the bike," he says with a wink about his bike, which has been converted to racing handlebars and a 53 mm chainring. He lives and works in Pratteln, Switzerland, and last year he already competed in the bronze round, which is a good 40 kilometres shorter. "I was so enthusiastic about it that I absolutely had to go one better this time." Like Michael, there are many who keep coming back to the event with its almost 50-year tradition. In addition to the beauty of the landscape and the sporting challenge, the unagitated character of the Alpenbrevet is one of the special features that he appreciates. Although all finishers receive an individually measured time, there is deliberately no ranking list. And that's why Michael's conclusion at the finish is: "It was tough - but I had an unforgettably beautiful day."
The Axthelm family won't forget this day in a hurry; dad Fabian and his daughters Hannah and Klara take the time to have a family photo taken on the Furka Pass. The fog has lifted - and after battling their way over the Gotthard and Nufenen Passes together, at 2478 metres the roof of the Alpine Brevet, the finish line is already in sight. Fabian, who lives with his family in Widnau south of Lake Constance, took part in the Alpenbrevet for the first time in 2019. "The event simply stands out compared to others," he says, describing the relaxed atmosphere despite all the effort. While he crossed the finish line for the fifth time and Hannah for the fourth time, 16-year-old Klara is visibly proud of her first finisher's medal. "For me, the goal was that we could experience something like this together," says Fabian, delighted with the all-round successful family outing. And he still has ambitions: "I have another son - maybe there will be four of us at the start next year."
The Platinum Tour at the Alpenbrevet
Greater ambitions can also be seen among the participants of the Platinum Tour, who are facing the ultimate test of endurance with five passes, 267 kilometres and 6800 metres of altitude. "Talent-free" is written on Ulli Fella's jersey. But the fact that this is a grossly self-deprecating understatement becomes clear when he crosses the finish line in Andermatt after 10:39 hours as one of the first riders on the Platinum Tour. The exertions are still written all over his face, but so is the satisfaction of his own achievement. As he stands at the start with around 500 other Platinum riders at 6 a.m., he hardly realises the beauty of the spectacular Schöllenen Gorge. It is still too dark on the first neutralised kilometres of the Alpenbrevet long distance. The ascent to the Susten Pass right at the start: terrifying. 1350 metres in altitude over just under 18 kilometres. But it is slowly getting light and the legs are still fresh. Up to the Grimsel Pass, a group of five formed at the front, working together to conquer the second pass monster of the day. "But after that it got really tough," says Ulli Fella, describing his experiences on the route. The route to the Nufenen Pass runs in the opposite direction to the silver and gold rounds. While everyone else rides from the fog at the top of the pass into the warming sunshine in Valais, Ulli struggles not only with the steep ramps, but also with the onset of rain and the cold. "We rode back down shivering," he says.
At seven degrees and miserable visibility, even a descent becomes a feat of strength. But despite all the ambition, team spirit is also paramount on the platinum route. They help each other to conquer the Lukmanier Pass and the headwind up to the Oberalp Pass. "What a top event," says Ulli Fella at the finish: "Top organisation, gigantic scenery, great refreshment points." He adds with a wink that he was an inexpensive participant for the Alpenbrevet organisers. "I just topped up my bottles, drank a Coke and ate a few orange slices."
Recharge your batteries at the Alpenbrevet
Ulli has left all the other treats at the refreshment stations. There are not only bars, gels and fruit, but also cheese and salami - and above all Swiss chocolate. Those who prefer a more relaxed approach can take it easy here and recharge their batteries. Just like Doris Mösinger, Bettina Kehl and Candy Wegener, three work colleagues from Aargau. After Candy rode the Gold Tour last year and was cheered on by Doris and Bettina, they decided to tackle the Bronze Tour together this time, covering 64 kilometres and 2100 metres in altitude. For Bettina and Doris, it was their first time at a road cycling event for everyone, albeit with the support of Candy, who is experienced in road cycling: "We just wanted to do something crazy," they say as they hug each other at the finish: "It feels fantastic!" Bettina is fascinated by the panorama and how her head keeps pushing her long-tired legs. And Doris tells how she was cheered on again and again by the many fans and onlookers who had gathered along the route. Even if the motivation was already great this time, the plans for 2025 are even bigger: "Then we'll tackle three passes."
David Gasser and Mario Wandpflug are similarly euphoric after conquering the 215-kilometre, 5,000-metre Gold Tour. Last year, they happened to be in the area when the Alpenbrevet took place and was long since sold out. But the two friends promised each other that they would take on the challenge this time. They have trained hard and consistently; David had around 7,000 kilometres on his speedometer before the start in Andermatt. Nevertheless, they had to fight - the long, steadily climbing journey to Airolo before the ascent to the Nufenen, the cloudy soup up there. But when the sun finally breaks through the fog in Valais and reveals the breathtaking panorama, David and Mario are more than rewarded for all their exertions. The hairpin bends carved into the rock massifs are spectacular, and the final ascent to the Furka Pass opens up views of the Rhone Glacier and the Hotel Belvédère, which lies in the middle of a hairpin bend at 2300 metres.
The last few metres to the top of the pass and the descent to Andermatt - a piece of cake! In the late summer sun, the Alpenbrevet finishers receive their medals and enjoy their achievement together in an exuberant atmosphere. They must have been in a similar mood to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "Tired and lively, jumping down from the mountain full of thirst and laughter. Cheered until twelve."
Alpenbrevet - the most important information at a glance
The Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet is becoming increasingly popular and is now selling out quickly. There are four routes covering between 64 and 267 kilometres with 2100 to 6800 metres of altitude to conquer. The event, which can be traced back to 1978, is deliberately not organised as a race - there is individual timekeeping for the approximately 3,200 participants, but no ranking list.
Anyone who is unable to secure a starting place has the opportunity to climb the event's passes on their own in the "Alpenbrevet Extended". Anyone who completes between three and seven passes around Andermatt after registering free of charge has the chance to win one of ten starting places for the Alpenbrevet 2025.
Info: www.alpenbrevet.ch
