Granfondo Suisse

Granfondo Suisse begins high in Villars-sur-Ollon. Even the short time trial ascends from 1,309m to the Col de la Croix at 1,775m. This Swiss road-cycling gran fondo takes place in the Vaudois Alps and is part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. Amateur riders can use it as a qualifier and a mountain challenge. The event occurs in summer and shares its weekend with UCI Gravel Suisse, providing Villars with a full schedule of road, time-trial, and gravel racing. The full Gran Fondo covers 150km with 3,810m of climbing, and the Medio Fondo is 97.8km with 2,624m. Both routes focus on long alpine ascents rather than flat speed. Riders depart from Villars-sur-Ollon, tackling passes such as the Col de la Croix, Col du Pillon, and Col du Mittelberg. They then proceed through the Hongrin valley towards its lake and dam, with the course descending to 690m. The 7.4km time trial is short but steep, averaging 6.3% gradient with 467m of elevation gain, reaching 13% on the upper sections. The participant list includes Swiss riders and visitors from the Netherlands, France, Spain, Britain, and Colombia. R&D Cycling organizes the event, held for several years in the Alpes Vaudoises near UCI headquarters.