Stories · Planning · Valais World Championships
From strategy to world championships –
how Valais became the stage for the mountain biking world
The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais left their mark. On the MTB trails in Sion, Crans-Montana, Aletsch Arena, Zermatt, Verbier, Champéry, and Monthey, and on the identity of an entire region. Valais demonstrated that mountain biking can be much more than a sport. It can be a movement for sustainable development, active collaboration, and a future in tourism.
A decade of work and a milestone in collaboration
The success of the world championships was no accident. It was the result of a long-term process that began ten years ago.
Thanks to the outstanding support of RWO and the STRATOS Netzwerk Oberwallis, Adi Greiner’s visionary project idea could become a driving force for MTB development in Valais. A year later, the Bike Valais/Wallis project structure gave rise to the canton’s MTB strategy.
With the cantonal Velo & Bike strategy, adopted by the Council of State in 2016, Valais laid the foundation for coordinated development of its cycling infrastructure. Regional master plans followed, helping regions identify their potential, set priorities, and launch specific projects. The local master plans already incorporated a cross-regional approach. Five years later, the first cross-regional route of the new generation, “Valais Alpine Bike,” opened. Two further routes followed in 2024 and 2026, respectively.
Bikeplan had the opportunity to support this process from the outset as a specialist partner for planning, coordination, and quality assurance. Together with partners such as the Regions- und Wirtschaftszentrum Oberwallis (RWO), Antenne Regionale, Valais/Wallis Promotion, and the destinations’ committed service providers, a strong network emerged that is now a model for Switzerland.
From STRATOS to the world stage
With its cantonal tourism stimulus program STRATOS, Valais created a strategic framework connecting planning, tourism, and politics.
Bikeplan and RWO helped translate the vision into concrete structures together with destinations and municipalities:
from designing regional trail networks to defining governance and funding models. The destinations and municipalities then did impressive work to bring their vision to life step by step and continue expanding their MTB networks.
This solid foundation helped make the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships a success in sporting, organizational, and infrastructure terms. Valais presented itself as a modern, connected mountain biking region with close ties to nature, thoughtfully planned infrastructure, committed municipalities, and strong partners.
What Valais has achieved
- A strong image: Valais has positioned itself nationally and internationally as a leading MTB destination.
- New economic value: mountain biking is now an integral part of the regional tourism economy, from trail construction and hospitality to transportation and restaurants.
- Shared responsibility: municipalities, relevant stakeholders, tourism, and sports organizations work together toward a clear common goal.
Bikeplan –
part of the story
When Adrian Greiner founded Bikeplan in 2014, one idea was central:
taking a strategic approach to mountain biking as a tool for sustainable regional development and economic promotion.
The first mountain biking concept for Zermatt grew into a movement that spread across Valais.
Today, Bikeplan can look back on more than twelve regional master plans and numerous trail projects in Valais, and on a network that has taken mountain biking in the canton to a new level.
The journey continues after the world championships
The world championships were a milestone. They mark the beginning of a new chapter. Valais has shown that strategic planning, political will, and local passion can move mountains together—literally.
Bikeplan will continue along this path as a partner for sustainable development, quality, and collaboration. So that what began with a vision continues to grow on the trails and in the minds and hearts of the people who love mountain biking.
