Gravel Festival Bern: Featuring the Swiss Championships for the first time

Swiss Cycling is introducing a new championship category with the title races in Bern. The cycling federation is responding in this way to the growing interest in gravel cycling in Switzerland. Patrick Müller, Head of Competitive Sport at Swiss Cycling, explains the decision: “For us as a federation, organising national championships is a logical step to cater for the growing gravel segment.” The title races at the Gravel Festival Bern are not limited to the elite category. The fastest riders in each age group will also receive a champion’s jersey.

The Gravel Festival Bern has been running since 2018 and is regarded as Switzerland’s oldest and largest gravel event. Organiser Christian Rocha sees the awarding of the championships as confirmation of the event’s growth: “Swiss Cycling’s decision to award us the championships encourages us to develop our event further. At the same time, we are not focusing exclusively on elite sport, but will continue to involve all participants.”

Gravel Festival Bern Starting System

The tried-and-tested starting order based on self-assessment will remain in place in 2026. From now on, riders with a licence in the relevant categories will be able to compete for the Swiss championship titles. All age categories will be on the starting line. The system allows professionals and amateur riders to compete on the same course in the same race.

In recent years, gravel cycling has evolved from a niche sport into an established discipline. A defining feature of gravel races is the closeness between riders of different ability levels. Professionals and amateur cyclists share the same route and the same passion for riding off-road.

Four formats to suit different needs

As well as the Race for ambitious riders, the Gravel Festival offers the Ride, a shorter route for leisure riders. The Family Ride and the Kids Gravel are aimed at children and families. Project manager Fridolin Engler emphasises the importance of this variety: “In the long term, we want to remain an event for the whole family and the entire gravel community.” With 1,400 participants, the Gravel Festival Bern ranks among the major international events.