Winter cycling motivation — my top 10 cycling rides in Switzerland in 2020

Making the most out of the crazy year in the Swiss cycling paradise

Ibergeregg (photo by author)

“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realise fishing is stupid and boring” — Desmond Tutu

Cycling is my passion. I cycle to organise my thoughts, escape stress, stay fit and discover new places. Because of the unique circumstances of the year, I managed to ride over 13,500km, climb more than 200,000m and spend 540+ hours on a bike.

Inspiration and motivation for winter times

Cycling is not a winter sport. But you set foundations for a strong season in the winter. How? By doing other sports, riding a stationary bike in your living room like a madman or do an occasional ride outside only to freeze your butt off. But you do all of that because it makes the spring rides easier and enables you to go faster and longer.

Best rides of the year

Some rides are more memorable than others. You remember some thanks to the scenery, companions, efforts or extreme weather. This year I’ve done over 300 rides and this is the list of the top ten of them.

  1. Klausenpass — Pragelpass — Ibergeregg (🚴‍♂️ 257km | ⛰️ 4,477m)
  2. Furkapass — Grimselpass — Sustenpass — Oberalppass (🚴‍♂️ 141km | ⛰️ 4,041m)
  3. Nufenenpass (🚴‍♂️ 75km | ⛰️ 1,840m)
  4. Grosse Scheidegg — Kleine Scheidegg (🚴‍♂️ 92km | ⛰️ 2,758m)
  5. Albulapass — Julierpass (🚴‍♂️ 129km | ⛰️ 2,878m)
  6. Sattelegg — Ibergeregg — Biberegg (🚴‍♂️ 157km | ⛰️ 2,578m)
  7. Chörbschhorn trail (🚴‍♂️ 31km | ⛰️ 1,186m)
  8. Luzern — Schwyz (🚴‍♂️ 181km | ⛰️ 1,653m)
  9. Zumikon — Pfannenstiel — Schindellegi — Buchenegg (🚴‍♂️ 93km | ⛰️ 1,479m)
  10. CdZH: Col de Roche (🚴‍♂️ 39km | ⛰️ 830m)

1. Klausenpass — Pragelpass — Ibergeregg (🚴‍♂️ 257km | ⛰️ 4,477m)

I had my eyes on this route since I rode Klausen and Pragel passes from Schwyz shortly after moving to Zurich in June 2019. One of my season’s goal was to ride 10,000km and I wanted to celebrate this mark with a special ride.

Klausenpass (photo by author)

“You can say that climbers suffer the same as the other riders, but they suffer in a different way. You feel the pain, but you’re glad to be there” — Richard Virenque

Three HC climbs, huge distance, massive elevation and over 10 hours on a bike (I don’t have many of these) made my 10k mark celebration memorable.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3945818550/

2. Furkapass — Grimselpass — Sustenpass — Oberalppass (🚴‍♂️ 141km | ⛰️ 4,041m)

During the first couple of rides in the Swiss Alps I was so excited and amazed by every climb I did. After I while I started wondering, which climbs in this paradise are the best? Every list of top Swiss climbs is by definition subjective, but I set a goal for myself to do the 10 climbs on this list. Three of these climbs can be easily done in one ride and that’s how the idea for this route was born.

Grimselpass (photo by author)

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” — Ernest Hemingway

And a serious climbing was planned for the day. Windy Furkapass with 11.5km at 7.4%, meandering Grimselpass (5km at 6.6%), long Sustenpass climbing for 28km avareging 5.7% and finally Oberalppass 9km at 6.7%.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3827333210/

3. Nufenenpass (🚴‍♂️ 75km | ⛰️ 1,840m)

Another iconic climb in the Swiss Alps. When we decided to go to Fiesch with friends to see the Aletsch Glacier I knew I can’t go without my bike. And with Nufenen on my mind, I managed to squeeze a quick ride before dinner.

Nufenenpass (photo by author)
https://www.strava.com/activities/3973996923/

4. Grosse Scheidegg — Kleine Scheidegg (🚴‍♂️ 92km | ⛰️ 2,758m)

I ran a Jungfrau Marathon from Interlaken through to Lauterbrunnen and finishing on Kleine Scheidegg back in 2012. The view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from the train station at Kleine Scheidegg is breathtaking.

Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from Kleine Scheidegg (photo by author)
https://www.strava.com/activities/3897698199/

5. Albulapass — Julierpass (🚴‍♂️ 129km | ⛰️ 2,878m)

I did this ride during a family vacation in Lenzerheide. It was raining for most of the week but we did enjoy the beautiful MTB trails there. When the family needed a break from cycling I took my road bike for a ride. Coincidently it was sunny for the first time of the week.

Albulapass (photo by author)
https://www.strava.com/activities/3632956520/

6. Sattelegg — Ibergeregg — Biberegg (🚴‍♂️ 157km | ⛰️ 2,578m)

This was the first long ride of the year. Late March and I was able to do almost an imperial century ride in the mountains? My training ‘plan’ seemed to be working!

View from Ibergeregg (photo by author)

“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride” — Eddy Merckx

This ride is on the list for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to include some of the climbs around Zurich and secondly, because with the hindsight this ride was the first hint of what would become a great cycling season.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3226660898

7. Chörbschhorn trail (🚴‍♂️ 31km | ⛰️ 1,186m)

We made two great purchases this year — my wife bought an e-bike and we got a Mac Ride for our son. It means that we can do great family MTB rides. You give my wife an e-bike and put a 3-year-old on my bike and we can go together both uphill and downhill.

Downhill back to Davos (photo by author)
https://www.strava.com/activities/4048811170/

8. Luzern — Schwyz (🚴‍♂️ 181km | ⛰️ 1,653m)

Another big ride of the year. Without much of a plan I somehow found myself in Luzern where I stopped for a lunch and called home that the ride will be a bit longer than expected.

Lake Luzern (photo by author)

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike” — John F Kennedy

This was not a massive effort. Most of the route was flat along the lakes anyway. I took it easy and just enjoyed the ride. It felt like summer holidays during high school when the only thing on your to-do list is to go back to school in two months.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3801543205/

9. Zumikon — Pfannenstiel — Schindellegi — Buchenegg (🚴‍♂️ 93km | ⛰️ 1,479m)

This was a proper race simulation on the climbs around lake Zurich. What helped was that I started in the afternoon and not around 6am as I’ve typically done this.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3762118721/
https://www.strava.com/activities/3762118721/

10. CdZH: Col de Roche (🚴‍♂️ 39km | ⛰️ 830m)

I’m not racing on a bike. Mostly because I don’t want to waste the whole day doing what I can do in the morning. But it doesn’t mean I’m not competitive.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4105418434/
https://www.strava.com/activities/4105418434/
Author on Zurichberg (photo by author’s wife, used with permission 😉)

⛰️⛰️⛰️ 🚴‍♂️ 💨

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Data scientist | avid cyclist | amateur pianist (I'm sharing my personal opinion and experience, which should not to be considered professional advice)

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Adam Votava

Data scientist | avid cyclist | amateur pianist (I'm sharing my personal opinion and experience, which should not to be considered professional advice)