Cycling Across Switzerland and The Swiss CrissCross

Perhaps the single greatest advantage of being a professional mountain sport photographer is the ability to visualize a project, develop the idea, and then photograph the experience. Our next big project is a perfect example of this – the Swiss CrissCross. It came to us one snowy winter day while discussing 2012 plans, “What if we…?”

Road Biking in Switzerland

In July, together with our good friend Alain Rumpf, we’ll set out from Chamonix, France and road ride across Switzerland – the long way. Five days will be spent crossing many of the Swiss Alp’s most famous passes. Evening’s will be enjoyed relaxing at fine hotels, living large, and living as road bikers are apt to do; staying clean, eating well and keeping the legs, and bike, polished. Life will be civilized, we are after all roadies. Janine will document the experience, photographing both alpine passes and the lifestyle we’ll be living.

Mountain Biking in Switzerland

After 700km & 17,000 meters of climbing, the crossing ends at the famous Passo Stelvio. Congratulations! We’ve ridden across a country. But, it’s far from over, it’s only time to get dirty. We’ll immediately connect with Jürg Buschor, Publisher of The Swiss Outdoor Guide Magazine and author of Swiss Singletrack Guidebooks & Maps. Together with Jürg, we’ll head right back across Switzerland, again through the Alps, but this time on singletrack. Janine will be saddling as well and we’ll spend eight days connecting some of the best singletrack trails in all of Europe. On the return, things won’t be so clean or polished as we’ll swap lycra for baggy shorts, perhaps even some body armour. Truthfully, I had originally hoped to pedal across Switzerland on trails, under our own power. I was later convinced that the real story to offer is a traverse of the Alps on the best trails, in a reasonable amount of time, maximizing fun and minimizing slogs. As such, Switzerland’s extensive transportation system will be used. Utilizing lifts, trains and buses, we will access the best high points to begin massive single track descents that will get us across Switzerland.

Photographing Cycling and Telling a Story

With this project we are doing what we love most, pedaling bikes with friends and making images and sharing our stoke along the way – we want others to get inspired and dream up their own experiences. We also want to demonstrate the beauty of Switzerland, and how the cycling in Europe’s most mountainous country is also some of the very best. Road bikers will enjoy the photos and info about the perfectly switchbacked alpine passes, and how the Alps can easily be traversed. For the mountain bikers, we will offer the trails and connections to get across the Alps so others may have the same experience in a week’s visit to Switzerland.

We are proud to have five magazines from both the US and Europe covering the story as well as the support of some of cycling’s best brands.

During the trip we’ll be posting photos, telling a few stories, and offering up what silly fun, or trouble, we run into. We will also provide GPS tracks for those looking to follow along when they visit the same roads and trails.

Social Media : How & Where to Follow Us

Tumblr : Photos, Stories (both honest & exaggerated) and Updates

Swiss CrissCross : Home to the best posts & photos from the CrissCross

Alain Rumpf

Twitter

PatitucciPhoto

Alain Rumpf

Strava : GPS Tracks & Daily Profiles

Dan Patitucci

Alain Rumpf

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A huge thank you to these companies who are providing so much generous support. And to the American Magazines Peloton and Switchback – it all makes sense why these two publications are crushing the American cycling media. Quality and pride in what they do – it shows on all levels, thanks guys!

Off to have some fun!